Real Estate Transactions

By
Real Estate

The following real estate transactions (latest available) were compiled by Banker & Tradesman and are published as they were received. Only transactions exceeding $115,000 are listed. Buyer and seller fields contain only the first name listed on the deed.

FRANKLIN COUNTY

ASHFIELD

1823 Hawley Road
Ashfield, MA 01330
Amount: $721,000
Buyer: Vincent M. Biggs
Seller: David R Hansen
Date: 05/01/23

396 Main St.
Ashfield, MA 01330
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Elmers Community Center Inc.
Seller: Greenfield Savings Bank
Date: 05/12/23

83 South St.
Ashfield, MA 01330
Amount: $274,000
Buyer: Susan A. Craft
Seller: Thomas F. Snow
Date: 05/12/23

BERNARDSTON

371 Bald Mountain Road
Bernardston, MA 01337
Amount: $419,000
Buyer: Laura Ferguson
Seller: Grasso, Dolores M., (Estate)
Date: 05/09/23

BUCKLAND

50 State St.
Buckland, MA 01338
Amount: $420,750
Buyer: Shelburne Falls Enterprise Center
Seller: Ronald G. Pierce
Date: 05/05/23

CHARLEMONT

Avery Brook Road Lot 1
Charlemont, MA 01339
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Steven G. Moseley
Seller: Bayard C. Austin
Date: 05/05/23

64 Heath Stage Ter.
Charlemont, MA 01370
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Frances W Hall
Seller: Phyllis Herrera TR
Date: 05/02/23

COLRAIN

12 Wilson Hill Road
Colrain, MA 01340
Amount: $395,000
Buyer: Robert K. Riecken
Seller: Alan N. Emond
Date: 05/08/23

CONWAY

1733 Roaring Brook Road
Conway, MA 01341
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Amanda Kirk
Seller: Barker, David Scott, (Estate)
Date: 05/01/23

DEERFIELD

61 Graves St.
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $236,000
Buyer: Zigmont J. Ambros
Seller: Richard R. Ambros
Date: 05/08/23

Sawmill Plain Road
Deerfield, MA 01342
Amount: $715,000
Buyer: Marisol Properties LLC
Seller: Pasiecnik, James M., (Estate)
Date: 05/11/23

Settright Road
Deerfield, MA 01342
Amount: $715,000
Buyer: Marisol Properties LLC
Seller: Pasiecnik, James M., (Estate)
Date: 05/11/23

36 Thayer St.
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $333,828
Buyer: NNPL TSeries 2012-1
Seller: Bertha F. Markowski
Date: 05/03/23

65 Whately Road
Deerfield, MA 01373
Amount: $410,500
Buyer: Zachary Wright
Seller: Mark A. Wightman
Date: 05/01/23

GREENFIELD

165 Barton Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Christina Zorzi
Seller: Robert Long
Date: 05/05/23

381 High St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: King Triton Properties LLC
Seller: William D. Kilgour
Date: 05/03/23

75 River St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Swostik R. Magar
Seller: Paul Viens
Date: 05/12/23

12 Stanley St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Sean Connors
Seller: Daniel P. Schwartz
Date: 05/11/23

78 Woodard Road
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $3,900,000
Buyer: Purpose Storage Greenfield
Seller: Greenfield Self Storage LLC
Date: 05/01/23

HEATH

Avery Brook Road
Heath, MA 01346
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Steven G. Moseley
Seller: Bayard C. Austin
Date: 05/05/23

MONTAGUE

125 Chestnut Hill Loop
Montague, MA 01351
Amount: $239,000
Buyer: Michael Alger
Seller: Herbert E. Phillips
Date: 05/05/23

16 Chestnut St.
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $277,500
Buyer: Gretchen M. Parker
Seller: Edward F. Sulda
Date: 05/04/23

39 Millers Falls Road
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $267,000
Buyer: Christopher W. Allen
Seller: Joshua P. Colwell
Date: 05/11/23

400 Montague City Road
Montague, MA 01376
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Joseph L. Mayrand
Seller: Austin Int
Date: 05/01/23

NEW SALEM

414 Daniel Shays Hwy.
New Salem, MA 01355
Amount: $307,500
Buyer: Quabbin Stop LLC
Seller: Timothy J. Laferriere
Date: 05/12/23

NORTHFIELD

1056 Millers Falls Road
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Timothy Otto
Seller: Johnny A. Otto
Date: 05/08/23

ORANGE

15 Center Dr.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $282,000
Buyer: Matthew J. McBride
Seller: Curtis S. Noel
Date: 05/11/23

673 East Main St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Dale O. Killip
Seller: Royal Development Projects LLC
Date: 05/09/23

117 West Myrtle St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: David A. Gillis
Seller: Rhoda M. Martinelli
Date: 05/11/23

Winter St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Evelyn Toro
Seller: Oakland Development Co. LLC
Date: 05/01/23

SHUTESBURY

32 Leverett Road
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $440,000
Buyer: Joshua P. Colwell
Seller: A9N Group LLC
Date: 05/12/23

487 Montague Road
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $222,000
Buyer: Jonathan P. Celli
Seller: Hermann C. Vargo
Date: 05/10/23

SUNDERLAND

21 Russell St.
Sunderland, MA 01375
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Joseph J. Hubbard
Seller: Cindy L. Benjamin
Date: 05/05/23

HAMPDEN COUNTY

AGAWAM

90 Alexander Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $366,000
Buyer: Siedlik FT
Seller: Sandra B. Morin
Date: 05/05/23

75 Alhambra Circle, North
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $162,500
Buyer: Plata O. Plomo Inc.
Seller: Edward L. Melloni
Date: 05/01/23

223 Garden St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $650,000
Buyer: Mbnz Hld Co
Seller: Donald J. Vermette
Date: 05/05/23

162 Glendale Road
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $1,050,000
Buyer: Jose J. Bermejo
Seller: Fiore Santaniello
Date: 05/05/23

23-25 Kanawha Ave
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $415,000
Buyer: Valentina Fedorenko
Seller: Suk H. Forrester
Date: 05/02/23

413 North St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Victoria Weltlich
Seller: Jeffrey M. Tobias
Date: 05/09/23

585 North Westfield St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Hillary F. King
Seller: Michael A. Toto
Date: 05/05/23

118 River Road
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Megan O’Donnell
Seller: Kelly A. Grassetti
Date: 05/12/23

323 Southwick St.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Carolyn Pacheco
Seller: Azusa RT
Date: 05/09/23

303 School St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $276,000
Buyer: Gina M. Nascembeni
Seller: Richard Merchant
Date: 05/01/23

239 South St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $195,000
Buyer: Our Town Home Buyers LLC
Seller: Cousineau, James R., (Estate)
Date: 05/04/23

BRIMFIELD

8 Governor Fairbanks Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $550,000
Buyer: Aaron J. Davis
Seller: Via FT 2017
Date: 05/05/23

26 Hollow Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $194,750
Buyer: Methuselah RT
Seller: Jonathan Stone
Date: 05/10/23

71 West Old Sturbridge Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Paul Kosiba
Seller: Pamela J. Tavares
Date: 05/09/23

CHICOPEE

16 Adams St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $361,000
Buyer: Joseph Evborokhai
Seller: James R. Gosselin
Date: 05/12/23

681 Burnett Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Jessica Kelley
Seller: Klaus Sr., Theodore, (Estate)
Date: 05/02/23

1345 Burnett Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $415,000
Buyer: Burnett Chicopee RT
Seller: SRF Burnett LLC
Date: 05/03/23

1355 Burnett Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $415,000
Buyer: Burnett Chicopee RT
Seller: SRF Burnett LLC
Date: 05/03/23

237 Chicopee St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Mason Capital Ventures LLC
Seller: Nancy A. Chmura
Date: 05/01/23

53 Deslauriers St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Murat O. Kavlak
Seller: Richard E. Jette
Date: 05/11/23

185 Fletcher Cir.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Kimberly R. Keesee
Seller: Jones RT Of 2020
Date: 05/05/23

56 Garland St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $227,100
Buyer: Ryan Whitehead
Seller: Robert J. Lavigne
Date: 05/05/23

11 Hastings St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Michael Clemente
Seller: Philip J. Alarie RET
Date: 05/01/23

803 James St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Kyle Pare
Seller: Eileen Pare
Date: 05/10/23

803 James St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $338,633
Buyer: Kyle Pare
Seller: Patricia Biela
Date: 05/10/23

50 Joy St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Cynthia I. Davila Acevedo
Seller: Salim Abdoo
Date: 05/09/23

22 Keyes Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Jean D. Donoghue
Seller: Gerald L. Grondin
Date: 05/05/23

79 Marlborough St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Stephanie M. Vazquez
Seller: Harold D. Piligian
Date: 05/01/23

52 McCarthy Ave
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Tokyo S. Baldwin
Seller: Pamela A. Rousseau
Date: 05/08/23

262 McCarthy Ave
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $287,000
Buyer: Brian M. Colty
Seller: Laurie A. Gaudet
Date: 05/05/23

919 Meadow St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: RTNC Auto Wash Inc.
Seller: Chabot Burnett & Carrier
Date: 05/12/23

1423 Memorial Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $1,300,000
Buyer: Chicopee Food Stop LLC
Seller: Speedway LLC
Date: 05/11/23

185 Murphy Lane
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: MHI Properties LLC
Seller: Young Jr., Samuel Lee, (Estate)
Date: 05/08/23

82 Sheridan St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Julio A. Melendez
Seller: Robert E. McQueen
Date: 05/05/23

486 Springfield St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: William J. Stetson
Seller: David Carlos
Date: 05/05/23

42 Tremont St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Angelo Waiters
Seller: Deonte J. Daniels
Date: 05/10/23

17 White St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Meaghan K. Murphy-Rennie
Seller: Carl Droy LT
Date: 05/05/23

37 White St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Nationstar Mortgage LLC
Seller: Steven C. Lear
Date: 05/03/23

57 Willwood St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $128,701
Buyer: Mass Pike LLC
Seller: RMAC TR Series 2018 G-CTT
Date: 05/08/23

EAST LONGMEADOW

161 Braeburn Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $517,000
Buyer: Dennis Xayasone
Seller: Adam Hession
Date: 05/10/23

15 Fairway Lane
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $750,000
Buyer: Peter J. Marathas
Seller: Michael Carabetta
Date: 05/05/23

74 Kibbe Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Daniel Filonov
Seller: Aneta M. Sucharski
Date: 05/03/23

2 Lyric Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $270,000
Buyer: Shadow M. Pereira
Seller: John Martin
Date: 05/02/23

9 Mereline Ave.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: 25 Granby Street LLC
Seller: Michael J. Matos
Date: 05/03/23

10 Peachtree Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $789,000
Buyer: Adam Hession
Seller: C&M Builders LLC
Date: 05/10/23

3 Robin St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $405,000
Buyer: Harris Bierhoff
Seller: Federal National Mtg. Assn.
Date: 05/11/23

HAMPDEN

79 Stony Hill Road
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $440,000
Buyer: Jonathon Rodrigues
Seller: Brian O’Connor
Date: 05/11/23

23 Valleyview Dr.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $332,000
Buyer: Cory Cotter
Seller: N. B. Florian-Theriaque
Date: 05/01/23

HOLLAND

166-B Stafford Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Terry A. Varley
Seller: Paul G. Leone
Date: 05/12/23

131 Union Road
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $425,000
Buyer: Vanessa A. Lewis
Seller: John D. Porier
Date: 05/02/23

HOLYOKE

157 Beech St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $189,000
Buyer: Esther M. Cartagena-Colon
Seller: Four Harps LLC
Date: 05/09/23

6 Briarwood Dr.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Katherine M. Bourque
Seller: Kevin E. Ross
Date: 05/01/23

9 Charles St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: B&B Realty Partners LLC
Seller: KNC Home Renovations LLC
Date: 05/01/23

71 Fairfield Ave
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $510,000
Buyer: Victor Danilchenko
Seller: Joseph A. Oleksak
Date: 05/08/23

86 Kane Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Norman J. Liquori
Seller: Pah Properties LLC
Date: 05/10/23

614 South Summer St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $271,000
Buyer: Miguel A. Rivera
Seller: Thomas A. Spring
Date: 05/09/23

538 South St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Alexis Gonzalez
Seller: Virgilio Gonzalez
Date: 05/11/23

271 West Franklin St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Eric Prigmore
Seller: Meng S. Wang
Date: 05/02/23

295-297 Walnut St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Jose A. Ramos
Seller: Four Harps LLC
Date: 05/01/23

LONGMEADOW

56 Bellevue Ave.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $275,200
Buyer: Samantha Schneider
Seller: Susan Winn
Date: 05/03/23

341 Converse St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Dina L. Nguyen
Seller: David G. Clarke
Date: 05/10/23

176 Dunn Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $630,000
Buyer: Robert Chiaruttini
Seller: Katelyn S. Kopcsay
Date: 05/04/23

14 Wendover Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $605,000
Buyer: Ingrid F. Smyer
Seller: Beth A. Grace
Date: 05/12/23

LUDLOW

Balsam Hill Road, Lot 79
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $154,900
Buyer: Samantha P. Alves
Seller: Whitetail Wreks LLC
Date: 05/05/23

21 Barrett St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Sarah Bunker
Seller: Elizabeth A. Scanlon
Date: 05/02/23

Center St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Rui Serrazina
Seller: Joe V. Chaves
Date: 05/05/23

777 Chapin St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Michael J. Hill
Seller: Helen E. Carrier TR
Date: 05/02/23

33 Isabel Lane
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $545,000
Buyer: Deborah Alkema
Seller: McKenzie FT
Date: 05/12/23

88 Kendall St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Adriana Ramos
Seller: Gary V. Evangelista
Date: 05/08/23

6 Marie St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $296,000
Buyer: Auguste P. Valley
Seller: Kay Loudon
Date: 05/04/23

96 Prospect Gardens
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $186,000
Buyer: Randy P. Pascale
Seller: Richard P. Perreault FT
Date: 05/11/23

40 Stebbins St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $283,505
Buyer: Anna D. Vital
Seller: Michael Giza
Date: 05/05/23

Sunset Ridge
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $162,500
Buyer: Nelson Mourao
Seller: Lorrijane Massa
Date: 05/05/23

75 White St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $191,250
Buyer: Bear Stearns Alt-A TR 2007
Seller: David M. Murphy
Date: 05/02/23

95-97 Winsor St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $2,675,000
Buyer: HP Rum LLC
Seller: K&W Rainbow LLC
Date: 05/11/23

PALMER

30 Burlingame Road
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $407,000
Buyer: Brian J. Chechile
Seller: John L. Duquette
Date: 05/09/23

2029-2031 High St.
Palmer, MA 01080
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: DDS 56 Properties LLC
Seller: A To Z Property Management
Date: 05/01/23

11 Kelly Road
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Benjamin K. Applebee
Seller: Brian J. Chechile
Date: 05/08/23

11 Kelly Road
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Benjamin K. Applebee
Seller: Brian J. Chechile
Date: 05/09/23

241-A Mount Dumplin Road
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $302,500
Buyer: Bethany L. Joyce
Seller: Crystal Nugent
Date: 05/01/23

1053-1055 Park St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Gramse Realty LLC
Seller: Jonathan E. Neumann
Date: 05/01/23

1126 South Main St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Alexandria Morrissey
Seller: Veteran Stan LLC
Date: 05/04/23

141 Thompson St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $540,000
Buyer: David W. Luce
Seller: Stoney RT
Date: 05/09/23

SOUTHWICK

96 Congamond Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Ashton Bourbonnais
Seller: Dean M. Rankin
Date: 05/08/23

4 Crystal Dr.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Timothy A. Barry
Seller: Robert S. Tetrault
Date: 05/12/23

7 Meadow Lane
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $575,800
Buyer: Ashley T. Abel
Seller: Jianwei Liu
Date: 05/05/23

49 South Loomis St.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Kenneth Sparaco
Seller: Norman Liquori
Date: 05/10/23

SPRINGFIELD

36 Andrew St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $324,000
Buyer: Ana A. Valladares-Arias
Seller: Noelia I. Rojas
Date: 05/03/23

138 Appleton St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Tajudeen Yoosuf
Seller: Jjj17 LLC
Date: 05/02/23

139 Bay St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Elda S. Lopez
Seller: Brvsa Associates LLC
Date: 05/09/23

22 Bentley St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Dexter T. Miller
Seller: Anthony Surrette
Date: 05/12/23

34 Border St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Melvin Alvarado
Seller: Pioneer Housing LLC
Date: 05/12/23

90 Bowles St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Aubree Phillips
Seller: Williams, Allhdene, (Estate)
Date: 05/12/23

46 Brittany Road
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Devon Dias
Seller: Belanger, Michael A., (Estate)
Date: 05/08/23

35 Bronson Ter.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $187,500
Buyer: A-O-K RT
Seller: RJB Properties LLC
Date: 05/01/23

222 Carew St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $1,400,000
Buyer: 38 Center Square RT
Seller: CMC Development Associates LP
Date: 05/11/23

234 Carew St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $1,400,000
Buyer: 38 Center Square RT
Seller: CMC Development Associates LP
Date: 05/11/23

11 Carpenter Court
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $239,000
Buyer: Laura M. Bettencourt
Seller: Hlre Development LLC
Date: 05/05/23

95 Catalina Dr.
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Helen O. Herrera
Seller: Voskoboinik, Leonid, (Estate)
Date: 05/12/23

243 Central St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $231,000
Buyer: Feliciano A. Bonilla
Seller: HSI Asset TR 2006-WMC1
Date: 05/09/23

84-86 Chapin Ter.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $266,000
Buyer: 84 Chapin Terrace LLC
Seller: Caraballo Realty LLC
Date: 05/05/23

322-324 Chapin Ter.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $320,000
Buyer: Mohamad A. Alsmail
Seller: Stavarakis FT
Date: 05/11/23

31 Cottonwood Lane
Springfield, MA 01128
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Elyse N. Konicki
Seller: Pah Properties LLC
Date: 05/05/23

77 Derryfield Ave.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Pah Properties LLC
Seller: Aaron T. Le
Date: 05/12/23

22-24 Dunhill St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $355,000
Buyer: Julissa L. Acevedo
Seller: Jose A. Negron
Date: 05/02/23

25 Ferncliff Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: James McCloskey
Seller: Smails LLC
Date: 05/05/23

17 Forest Park Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $750,000
Buyer: Ever Prosperity International Group
Seller: Maynard Hamre Investments LLC
Date: 05/05/23

216-218 Fort Pleasant Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Jacque Rivera
Seller: Emtay Inc.
Date: 05/08/23

52 Freeman Ter.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $303,000
Buyer: Jorge A. Henriquez
Seller: Mint Realty Group LLC
Date: 05/12/23

11 Front St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $675,000
Buyer: Rock Hard Holdings LLC
Seller: Mbmb LLC
Date: 05/03/23

61 Fullerton St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $399,000
Buyer: Alexsis K. Alvarez
Seller: Exultant RT
Date: 05/01/23

53 Granger St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $470,000
Buyer: Marie F. Elysse
Seller: Bretta Construction LLC
Date: 05/04/23

748 Grayson Dr.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $259,000
Buyer: John Beigert
Seller: John Hunt LT
Date: 05/02/23

77 Grover St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Om Sai Property Investments LLC
Seller: Jonathan Bermudez
Date: 05/04/23

21 Hadley St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $249,500
Buyer: Robert Perkins
Seller: Kathleen V. Wyler
Date: 05/01/23

63 Kensington Ave.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Willord D. Burke
Seller: Nolava LLC
Date: 05/02/23

73 Knox St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Frederic Abboud
Seller: Knox Street RT
Date: 05/02/23

51 Leete St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: D&M Realty & Investments LLC
Seller: Tavernier Investments LLC
Date: 05/12/23

33 Lester St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Jarelis Rodriguez
Seller: Junior Properties LLC
Date: 05/05/23

17 Lombard St.
Springfield, MA 01103
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Dawell J. Bautista
Seller: Jean S. Bussolari
Date: 05/01/23

182 Lucerne Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $207,000
Buyer: Sareen Properties LLC
Seller: Terri M. Henry
Date: 05/05/23

192 Lucerne Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $299,000
Buyer: Madeleine E. Smith
Seller: SRV Properties LLC
Date: 05/10/23

41 Mallowhill Road
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $269,900
Buyer: Andrew J. Foley
Seller: Melissa L. Smith
Date: 05/02/23

94 Massachusetts Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: D. & M. Realty & Investment LLC
Seller: Dale White
Date: 05/03/23

25-27 Merida St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $355,000
Buyer: Marianna Alvarado
Seller: Robert J. Paskins
Date: 05/11/23

102-104 Monrovia St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Three Amigos Realty LLC
Seller: Fournier, Nancy Lee, (Estate)
Date: 05/12/23

15 Mulberry St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Amount: $335,000
Buyer: Rhma1 LLC
Seller: Phoenix Houses Of New England
Date: 05/12/23

254 Oakland St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Mason Capital Ventures LLC
Seller: Ernesto Ayala
Date: 05/04/23

1446 Page Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Richard Corthell
Seller: Glenn M. Lungarini
Date: 05/10/23

1938 Page Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Edwin F. Brignoni
Seller: Madeline Merced-Santos
Date: 05/12/23

1943 Page Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Sunita Mudgett
Seller: Manuel D. Santiago
Date: 05/12/23

1178 Parker St.
Springfield, MA 01129
Amount: $525,000
Buyer: Unity 16 Acres LLC
Seller: Yen-Cheng Lai
Date: 05/10/23

34 Parkside St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $265,000
Buyer: Rolvin Colindres
Seller: Ahmed Aljanabi
Date: 05/01/23

22 Pasadena St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Michelle Alvarez
Seller: Elizabeth L. Davis
Date: 05/12/23

175 Progress Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $600,000
Buyer: 175 Progress LLC
Seller: RST RT
Date: 05/01/23

165 Sawmill Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $211,000
Buyer: James Darosa
Seller: HB3 Alternative Holdings LLC
Date: 05/12/23

225 Shady Brook Lane
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Jose A. Negron-Bonilla
Seller: Emmanuel Y. Tete-Donkor
Date: 05/02/23

15 Shawmut St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Joan Doucette
Seller: Alex E. Karosas
Date: 05/05/23

48-50 Silver St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $405,000
Buyer: Gemila Abdella
Seller: Luis Marrero
Date: 05/02/23

156 Slater Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $227,000
Buyer: Shaquana Bailey
Seller: Tatiana Ramos
Date: 05/05/23

89 Sparrow Dr.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Mortgage Equity Conversion TR
Seller: Thelma M. Smith
Date: 05/03/23

99 Strong St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $351,000
Buyer: 99 Strong Street RT
Seller: Alex Dobiecki
Date: 05/01/23

73 Tyler St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: JHN Investment LLC
Seller: Boston Federal Investment Holding Corp.
Date: 05/04/23

583 Union St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $350,000
Buyer: Deivi T. Margarin
Seller: Jessica King-Green
Date: 05/09/23

111 Warrenton St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $220,111
Buyer: David Roffo
Seller: Forethought Life Insurance Co.
Date: 05/12/23

1103 Worcester St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Abdulrahman R. Dubai
Seller: Ashraf M. Galal
Date: 05/10/23

WALES

87 McBride Road
Wales, MA 01081
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Kayla Cazares
Seller: Abednego RT
Date: 05/05/23

WEST SPRINGFIELD

48 Abigaile Lane
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $475,000
Buyer: Maria I. Villar
Seller: George R. Sullivan
Date: 05/09/23

47 Amherst St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Joel M. Marrero
Seller: Bianca A. Marrero
Date: 05/08/23

100 Bonnie Brae Dr.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Joseph C. Boucher
Seller: Zytkiewicz, Isabelle M., (Estate)
Date: 05/12/23

27 Chester St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Ali N. Alzirkany
Seller: Ratna B. Darjee
Date: 05/09/23

44 Clara St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Brian Boyle
Seller: Danielle L. Lamagna
Date: 05/05/23

696 Elm St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $290,000
Buyer: Corey B. Williams
Seller: 696 Elm Street Realty LLC
Date: 05/11/23

17 Fabyan St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Carrie A. Blair
Seller: Kayla R. Lusnia-Buteau
Date: 05/12/23

65 Fox St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $349,900
Buyer: Nina Barszez
Seller: Denise A. Cordeau
Date: 05/03/23

100 Frederick St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $415,000
Buyer: Jared Kegoro
Seller: Gennady Belyshev
Date: 05/12/23

50 Garden St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $116,000
Buyer: Pah Properties LLC
Seller: Elizabeth G. Borrette
Date: 05/12/23

20 Hummingbird Lane
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Kyle Matzko
Seller: Fevzi Ramazanov
Date: 05/05/23

132 Laurel Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $343,000
Buyer: Olivia Hoess
Seller: Michael D. Rheaume
Date: 05/10/23

82 Park St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $540,000
Buyer: Mass. Trans Realty LLC
Seller: Old Day Realty LLC
Date: 05/03/23

1715 Riverdale St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $5,200,000
Buyer: HP Rum LLC
Seller: Lena St LLC
Date: 05/11/23

21 Silver St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Arisleidy G. Perez
Seller: Timothy J. Roberts
Date: 05/05/23

WESTFIELD

29 Butternut Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Amenadiel RT
Seller: Gordon J. Rogers
Date: 05/04/23

108 Dana St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Jennifer P. Smidy
Seller: Wozniak, Agnes M, (Estate)
Date: 05/05/23

28 Fawn Lane
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Dong Kim
Seller: Laura J. Ferguson
Date: 05/08/23

60 Franklin St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $1,975,000
Buyer: HP Rum LLC
Seller: 60-62 Franklin Street LLC
Date: 05/11/23

Furrowtown Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Vadim Popovichenko
Seller: Steven Rosinski
Date: 05/11/23

57 Furrowtown Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $455,000
Buyer: Nicholas J. Markos
Seller: Gabriel L. Santiago Diaz
Date: 05/02/23

21 Harrison Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Jovan D. Roman
Seller: Andrey Yurovsky
Date: 05/01/23

15 Massey St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $475,000
Buyer: Charles Diemer
Seller: Wesley E. Punch
Date: 05/05/23

 

65 Montgomery St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Bilodeau, Lydia, (Estate)
Seller: Diane R. Bilodeau
Date: 05/02/23

76 Old Quarry Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: John W. Powers
Seller: Adam Marshall
Date: 05/10/23

86 Orange St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Sarmad Almoula
Seller: Omaha Property Manager LLC
Date: 05/08/23

64 Roosevelt Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Daniel Cabey
Seller: LKN Realty Investments LLC
Date: 05/01/23

123 Shannon Lane
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Kelly M. Dupuis
Seller: Kevin M. Barlow
Date: 05/05/23

384 Steiger Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Rex W. Post
Seller: Beverly A. Burek
Date: 05/09/23

494 Western Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $395,000
Buyer: Anthony Sgueglia
Seller: Joseph A. Del Guercio
Date: 05/01/23

WILBRAHAM

5 Brookside Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $430,000
Buyer: Kayla Raymond
Seller: Michael K. McIntyre
Date: 05/01/23

19 Eastwood Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $530,500
Buyer: Patrick L. Darby
Seller: Edward D. Vito
Date: 05/01/23

29 Faculty St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: Wilbraham & Monson Academy
Seller: Joejoe Properties LLC
Date: 05/03/23

586 Main St.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: Kyle P. Meredith
Seller: Sonja Flynn
Date: 05/02/23

7 Mark Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Violet Alvarado-Slatis
Seller: Daniel Swiecanski
Date: 05/12/23

19 Millbrook Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $521,000
Buyer: Nicole Florian-Theriaque
Seller: Gary N. Stone
Date: 05/02/23

2 Mirick Lane
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $380,000
Buyer: Marissa A. Lafond
Seller: Adam, James Daniel, (Estate)
Date: 05/05/23

5 Oxford Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $376,000
Buyer: Olivia Caldwell
Seller: Dnepro Properties LLC
Date: 05/09/23

6 South Colonial Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $410,000
Buyer: Rachelle J. Smith
Seller: McKay, Ruby R., (Estate)
Date: 05/10/23

120 Washington Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $197,730
Buyer: Midfirst Bank
Seller: Rachel E. Dewhurst
Date: 05/04/23

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY

AMHERST

1299 Bay Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $456,000
Buyer: Margaret Mailloux
Seller: Julia S. Mawson
Date: 05/04/23

101 Columbia Dr.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $537,000
Buyer: Douglas Bick
Seller: Julia C. Federman
Date: 05/04/23

684 East Pleasant St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $600,000
Buyer: Anke Voss
Seller: Vincent M. Biggs
Date: 05/01/23

792 East Pleasant St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $469,000
Buyer: Amee Trivedi
Seller: Geoffrey C. Dawe
Date: 05/09/23

48 Hunters Hill Circle
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $475,000
Buyer: Cammi M. Yamashiro
Seller: Eric Martz Lt
Date: 05/05/23

83 Larkspur Dr.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $800,000
Buyer: Matthew Fuller
Seller: Ben S. Branch
Date: 05/11/23

55 South Pleasant St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $400,000
Buyer: South Pleasant Street LLC
Seller: Amherst-S Pleasant LLC
Date: 05/10/23

356 Station Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $835,000
Buyer: Scotia Roopnarine
Seller: Joseph J. Ellis
Date: 05/01/23

665 West St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $430,665
Buyer: Nathan T. Wilson
Seller: Hasung Song
Date: 05/08/23

Wildflower Dr.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $191,500
Buyer: Alan E. Travis
Seller: Linda Calmes Jones LT
Date: 05/01/23

Wildflower Dr., Lot 17
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $132,000
Buyer: Courtney O. Rose
Seller: Robert W. Jackson
Date: 05/11/23

BELCHERTOWN

360 Old Enfield Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $357,000
Buyer: Katharine E. Wyland
Seller: Harstad, John Henry, (Estate)
Date: 05/08/23

369 Old Enfield Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $313,500
Buyer: Joseph Bernard
Seller: Reo Acquisition I LLC
Date: 05/01/23

251 Rockrimmon St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $379,900
Buyer: Caleb M. Holmberg
Seller: Donna M. Lusignan
Date: 05/11/23

Woodland Lane
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Michael C. Jurkowski
Seller: Jeffrey M. Almeida
Date: 05/01/23

Woodland Lane, Lot H
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Jake Trombley
Seller: Bell Property Corp.
Date: 05/11/23

CHESTERFIELD

333 Ireland St.
Chesterfield, MA 01084
Amount: $650,000
Buyer: Piet Bleyendaal 2008 FT
Seller: William E. Lyon TR
Date: 05/05/23

EASTHAMPTON

20 Colonial Ave.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $336,000
Buyer: Erin Everett
Seller: Alexander Hoar
Date: 05/05/23

3 Concord Dr.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $410,000
Buyer: John A. Powell
Seller: Patricia A. Zwirko
Date: 05/05/23

14-16 Hampton Ter.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $115,000
Buyer: Plata O. Plomo Inc
Seller: Edward R. Boyer
Date: 05/12/23

31 Union St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $500,000
Buyer: Alexppark LLC
Seller: Mountain View Investments LP
Date: 05/12/23

GRANBY

150 Amherst St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $376,125
Buyer: Kenneth P. Mulder
Seller: Currier, Georgia L., (Estate)
Date: 05/12/23

26 Smith Ave
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Ted D. Velasco
Seller: Gloria Lyons
Date: 05/10/23

HADLEY

3 Indian Pipe Dr.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $790,000
Buyer: Hamza Qazi
Seller: Brandi G. Labanc
Date: 05/12/23

North Maple St.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $525,000
Buyer: North Maple Street LLC
Seller: Thomas A. Lees 2020 RET
Date: 05/03/23

Rocky Hill Road
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $525,000
Buyer: North Maple Street LLC
Seller: Thomas A. Lees 2020 RET
Date: 05/03/23

HATFIELD

249 Linseed Road
Hatfield, MA 01088
Amount: $515,000
Buyer: Barry J. Picard
Seller: Diane Landry
Date: 05/02/23

8 Molloy Ave.
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Cascade Funding Mortgage TR
Seller: Joan T. Turban
Date: 05/01/23

187 Pantry Road
Hatfield, MA 01088
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Thomas J. Wickles
Seller: Kathleen A. Dunn
Date: 05/03/23

HUNTINGTON

44 Littleville Road
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $276,000
Buyer: Angela Steward
Seller: Kyle Harmon
Date: 05/05/23

218 Worthington Road
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Natalie Saloio
Seller: Laurie J. Diemer
Date: 05/05/23

NORTHAMPTON

24 Indian Hill
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Katherine A. Welch
Seller: David W. Pritchard
Date: 05/01/23

31 Indian Hill
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $447,000
Buyer: Ellen Darabi
Seller: David W. Pritchard
Date: 05/12/23

98 Lake St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $535,700
Buyer: Jessica R. Pfeffer
Seller: Brown Morrison FT
Date: 05/05/23

25 Market St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $1,600,000
Buyer: Rynek LLC
Seller: 300 Elm Street LLC
Date: 05/04/23

Maynard Road
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Sundeep Shukla
Seller: Lauren J. Shatz
Date: 05/12/23

372 Ryan Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $402,000
Buyer: Jake Q. Hooker
Seller: Nina M. Barszcz
Date: 05/03/23

44 Washington Ave
Northampton, MA 01060
Amount: $953,000
Buyer: Gerome A. Miklau
Seller: Robert J. Postel
Date: 05/09/23

12 Wilder Place
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $370,000
Buyer: Hayden Schulingkamp
Seller: Brady, Alice N., (Estate)
Date: 05/11/23

SOUTH HADLEY

44 Hillside Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $445,000
Buyer: Andrew L. Wilkins
Seller: Vitaliy Andriychuk
Date: 05/02/23

161 Newton St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $425,000
Buyer: Benjamin Geyer
Seller: Benjamin G. Glickenhaus
Date: 05/04/23

SOUTHAMPTON

129 Brickyard Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $935,000
Buyer: RET of Brian J. Ingledue
Seller: Lewinski, Alexander, (Estate)
Date: 05/05/23

113 County Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Cordon LLC
Seller: Baker, Robert E, (Estate)
Date: 05/05/23

34 Pequot Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $240,000
Buyer: Ben S. Apodaca
Seller: Gil Farm Road Estates Inc.
Date: 05/05/23

WARE

39 Aspen St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Todd Russo
Seller: Nancy C. Godbout
Date: 05/01/23

413 Belchertown Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $352,500
Buyer: Ardfield Teach LLC
Seller: Richard Gregoire
Date: 05/08/23

212 Greenwich Plains Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $130,000
Buyer: Camille E. Goddard
Seller: C&E RT
Date: 05/05/23

11 Kelly Road
Ware, MA 01069
Amount: $390,000
Buyer: Benjamin K. Applebee
Seller: Brian J. Chechile
Date: 05/08/23

32 Maple Ave
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $203,500
Buyer: Mark Medina
Seller: Connie Leung
Date: 05/10/23

9 Mechanic St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Peak Development LLC
Seller: Three A. Realty Co. Inc
Date: 05/01/23

17 North St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Vikki Patrakis
Seller: Roman Catholic Bishop Of Springfield
Date: 05/04/23

45 Old Gilbertville Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Stephen C. Clouse
Seller: Lisa Gauvin
Date: 05/03/23

58 West Main St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Brookmaple LLC
Seller: Rick T. Chu
Date: 05/05/23

21 Westbrook Ave.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Roger J. Lebel
Seller: Was, Janina S., (Estate)
Date: 05/04/23

WILLIAMSBURG

2 Hillenbrand Road
Williamsburg, MA 01039
Amount: $440,000
Buyer: Mark Mantegna
Seller: George H. Fleischner
Date: 05/01/23

WORTHINGTON

4 Capen St.
Worthington, MA 01098
Amount: $580,000
Buyer: David M. Smedley
Seller: Leonard Fishman
Date: 05/12/23

24 Indian Oven Road
Worthington, MA 01098
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Kyle Dempsey
Seller: HUD
Date: 05/12/23

Building Permits

By
Building Permits

The following building permits were issued during the months of April and May 2023.

CHICOPEE

Center for Human Development
187 Fairview Ave.
$100,000 — Remove and replace existing egress stairs with new stairs

Chicopee Child Development
989 James St.
$41,998 — Roofing

Elms College
291 Springfield St.
$401,000 — Student lounge renovations on first and third floors of O’Leary Hall

Elms College
291 Springfield St.
$55,000 — New finishes for Room 207 in Berchmans Hall

Elms College
291 Springfield St.
$52,000 — New finishes for Room 216 in Berchmans Hall

Elms College
291 Springfield St.
$45,000 — New finishes for lacrosse locker room

Hampden Charter School of Science
20 Johnson Road
$9,500 — Install crushed-stone pad

 

Sean Hozempa
179 East St.
$12,500 — Demolish commercial structure

LSH Investment LLC
116 School St.
$10,000 — Interior, non-structural demolition of drop ceilings, bar and seating areas, stages, flooring, and wall paneling

Nouria Energy
520 Montgomery St.
$25,000 — Replace 13 existing auto vacuum units, remove existing footings and replace with new footings and vacuum posts/arms

EASTHAMPTON

Joe Pandolfo
124 Northampton St.
N/A — Repair damaged area

HADLEY

Walter Czajkowski
135 Mount Warner Road
N/A — Install rooftop solar array

Research Park LP
100 Venture Way
N/A — Demolish five walls, install new office doors and entrance door

LEE

CHP
Quarry Hill Road
$74,000 — Replace existing windows with new, energy-efficient vinyl windows

Michael Considine, Shawn Leary
47 Main St.
$11,850 — Roofing

Open Door Church
87 Summer St.
$31,600 — Roofing

St. Mary’s Church Society
115 Orchard St.
$13,350 — Roofing

LENOX

MRG CRW Holdings LLC
55 Lee Road
$10,000 — Erect two yurts

NORTHAMPTON

Committee for Northampton Inc.
225 Nonotuck St., Unit D
$8,000 — Structural repairs to front porch

Gleason Bros. Inc.
7 Pearl St.
$1,950 — Non-illuminated wall sign for Texas Beads

Gleason Bros. Inc.
7 Pearl St.
$1,350 — Non-illuminated projecting wall sign for Texas Beads

LHIC Inc.
34 North Maple St.
$260,000 — Interior renovation for cannabis cultivation facility

Smith College
44 College Lane
$878,138 — Renovate rooms 401, 449, 452, and 455 in Sabin-Reed Hall

Smith College
44-46 College Lane
$549,346 — Renovate Rooms 121-123 in Sabin-Reed Hall and Rooms 105-109 in Burton Hall

Smith College
2 Tyler Court
$275,900 — Renovate Room 301 in McConnell Hall

Sunwood Development Corp.
31 Chapel St.
$285,000 — Construct new office building

Webber & Grinnell Insurance
8 North King St.
$10,220 — Non-illuminated wall sign

Webber & Grinnell Insurance
8 North King St.
$12,220 — Non-illuminated wall sign

Webber & Grinnell Insurance
8 North King St.
$2,280 — Illuminated wall sign

Webber & Grinnell Insurance
8 North King St.
$1,250 — Non-illuminated wall sign

PITTSFIELD

Berkshire Medical Center Inc.
725 North St.
$5,000 — Repairs to DI main from MAC building to main hospital

The Clock Tower Associates Inc.
75 South Church St.
$74,300 — Office-space renovation

Wilmer Dominguez
30 Division St.
$15,000 — Siding

Eagles Club LLC
146 First St.
$5,000 — Replace front door, repair walls and ceiling, and paint entry

Chris Vandesteene
24 Hamlin St.
$12,600 — Roofing

SPRINGFIELD

Baystate Medical Center Inc.
759 Chestnut St.
$71,762 — Remove covered Emergency Department drop-off area for temporary use as emergency triage containment area

Behavioral Health Network Inc.
471 Chestnut St.
$10,000 — Remove and replace sub-floor area

Boston Road/Pasco Rt. 20 Retail LLC
1300 Boston Road
$90,000 — Remodel vacant tenant space into new nail salon

Honore LLC
270 Worthington St.
$196,400 — Alter interior space of restaurant and relocate kitchen area

Tree House B LLC
333 Bridge St.
$160,000 — Roofing

Tree House B LLC
268 Sumner Ave.
$160,000 — Roofing

Julie Dick, Daniel Sacco Join Bulkley Richardson

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Bulkley Richardson recently welcomed attorneys Julie Dick and Daniel Sacco to the firm.

Dick is counsel in Bulkley Richardson’s family-law practice. She counsels individuals, couples, and families on all matters relating to domestic relationships. Prior to joining the firm, she was an attorney at Community Legal Aid, where she represented clients in probate and family courts and district courts as a part of the Family Law Unit. She earned a bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, from Ohio State University in 2013, and a juris doctorate from Ohio State University Moritz College of Law in 2016.

Sacco is counsel in Bulkley Richardson’s litigation department, where he works with clients on preparing for administrative proceedings and trials. He has many years of experience helping public and private companies and educational institutions address regulatory compliance-related issues, including both responding to alleged compliance violations and developing compliance policies and programs.

Prior to joining Bulkley Richardson, Sacco was a partner at Lindquist & Vennum in Minneapolis. Most recently, he was senior associate director of Research Compliance at UMass Amherst. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Bowdoin College in 1996 and a juris doctorate from the University of Maine School of Law in 2003.

“Julie and Dan represent what the firm is all about,” said Dan Finnegan, managing partner. “They bring fresh perspectives, a breadth of experience, and diverse careers paths that have prepared them to be successful at Bulkley Richardson. Adding two lateral attorneys strengthens our existing core practices and positions the firm for continued success.”

Doherty, Wallace, Pillsbury and Murphy Announces New Attorney Hire

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Doherty, Wallace, Pillsbury and Murphy, P.C. (DWPM) announced that attorney L. Alexandra Hogan will join the firm in an of-counsel capacity in the firm’s Springfield office, effective July 11.

Hogan is a partner at Sabella Hogan, P.C. in Springfield. Prior to obtaining her license to practice law in 2008 and her juris doctorate at Western New England University School of Law, she earned a bachelor’s degree in legal studies at Bay Path University. She represents individuals, businesses, insurers, and receivers in civil litigation, business, commercial real-estate, and bankruptcy matters.

Hogan is actively involved in the community, presents on peer and judicial panels, and has been a member of several local boards and committees. She is admitted to practice in Massachusetts and Connecticut.

“We are proud to welcome Alex to Doherty, Wallace,” said W. Garth Janes, managing partner at DWPM. “Her experience, reputation, and commitment to our community fit perfectly with the fabric of our law firm, and we are thrilled to offer her professional services and expertise to our clients.”

Polish National Credit Union to Host East Longmeadow Grand Reopening Celebration

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Daily News

CHICOPEE — Polish National Credit Union (PNCU) will host a grand reopening celebration for its East Longmeadow Office, 232 North Main St., on Friday, June 16 from noon to 5 p.m. In December 2021, PNCU acquired Premier Source Federal Credit Union (PSFCU) and expanded into the East Longmeadow market.

“This was a win-win situation for both PNCU and PSFCU,” said Jim Kelly, CEO of Polish National. “The joining of these two organizations made sense for several reasons. First, we were able to grow our geographic presence and access for both members. Second, we were able to preserve the credit-union culture by combining with a congenial partner, like PSFCU. And third, we were able to take advantage of the enhanced scale to focus on selecting the best systems and processes to benefit the credit union and our members going forward.” Kelly added that he is “thrilled finally be able to celebrate properly.”

On Friday, June 16, the public is welcome visit the East Longmeadow Office for on-site activities including face painting, cornhole, a visit from Say Cheese Food Truck, Batch Ice Cream Truck, and music provided by Dina McMahon of 94.7 WMAS. Attendees can meet the PNCU team, including East Longmeadow Branch Manager Diane Afonso and Assistant Branch Manager Donna Samson.

Founded in 1921, Polish National Credit Union provides a full range of financial services to individuals, families, and businesses. The organization operates eight Western Mass. branches, plus a satellite office at Chicopee Comprehensive High School; PNCU Insurance Services; PNCU Financial Services; and a Commercial Loan Office located at 94 Main St., Westfield.

Country Bank Receives Two Marketing Awards

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Daily News

WARE — Country Bank announced it has received two marketing awards from the New England Financial Marketing Assoc. for its 2022 marketing efforts.

Country Bank achieved first place with a gold award for its “Made to Make a Difference” rebrand. In May 2022, Country Bank introduced the rebrand in partnership with the bank’s advertising agency, Financial Marketing Solutions. The new tagline was created from focus groups that consisted of Country Bank team members, board members, consumer and business customers, non-customers, and community nonprofits throughout the bank’s marketplace.

Since 1850, Country Bank has been a part of the fabric of the communities it serves, so it was deemed essential to include the community in the process. The common theme of how the bank makes a difference became a clear indicator of how its stakeholders received the brand in the market.

“The introduction of the tagline ‘Made to Make a Difference’ has accomplished outstanding results in the past year,” said Shelley Regin, senior vice president of Marketing and Public Relations at Country Bank. “Our team, communities, and customers have embraced the new tagline wholeheartedly. Team members are essential to any brand’s success, and ours has undoubtedly made a difference through the rebrand. Our team truly believes that we are here to make a difference for our customers, communities, and one another. With the team embracing the new tagline, we saw our social-media engagement increase by 60%, followers by 40%, and volunteerism by 124% in seven months. The brand has been positively impacted in many ways, and it is exciting to witness the team’s engagement and the brand’s growth.”

In addition, the bank received a silver award for its Police vs. Fire Baseball Game in association with the WooSox Foundation. This game was a century-old tradition brought back to life on Sept. 26, 2022. Part of the game is giving back to the community, something the WooSox Foundation and Country Bank are passionate about. The teams chose the Manny 267 Foundation, which received a $15,000 donation.

“As a founding partner of the Worcester Red Sox, we are honored to bring back this tradition and support the police and fire departments in Worcester,” Regin said. “It was a tremendous effort of the WooSox Foundation, the police and fire departments, and the Country Bank marketing team to make this happen. We look forward to the rematch this August, where the teams will again battle for the trophy and bragging rights. The game will also donate to a deserving local nonprofit.”

BusinessTalk with Eastern States Exposition President and CEO Gene Cassidy and Basketball Hall of Fame President and CEO John Doleva

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Business Talk Podcast Special Coverage

We are excited to announce that BusinessWest has launched a new podcast series, BusinessTalk. Each episode will feature in-depth interviews and discussions with local industry leaders, providing thoughtful perspectives on the Western Massachuetts economy and the many business ventures that keep it running during these challenging times.

Go HERE to view all episodes

Episode 165: June 5, 2023

Joseph Bednar Discusses Hooplandia Gene Cassidy and  John Doleva

It’s almost here! Hooplandia, a major 3-on-3 basketball tournament, descends upon the Big E fairgrounds and the Basketball Hall of Fame on June 23-25, with up to 500 teams in a variety of divisions set to compete. Having been delayed three years by the pandemic, this is truly a big deal for the region, according to Eastern States Exposition President and CEO Gene Cassidy and Basketball Hall of Fame President and CEO John Doleva. On the next installment of BusinessTalk, they sit down with BusinessWest Editor Joe Bednar to explain why — and also talk about how this could become a much bigger annual event and a signature draw for the region. It’s must listening, so tune in to BusinessTalk, a podcast presented by BusinessWest and sponsored by PeoplesBank.

 

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Opinion: Another Dose of Reality for Cannabis

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Daily News

Late last week, Trulieve Cannabis Corp. announced it will be exiting the Massachusetts market by the end of the year, a move that includes the closure of its massive growing and processing facility in Holyoke.

The company, which is also scaling back in California and exiting the Nevada wholesale market, cited changing conditions and slumping business for the moves, which are the latest to signal that the cannabis sector in the Bay State is losing some of its luster amid growing competition from other states.

Indeed, some dispensaries have closed within the 413, and other companies have announced layoffs. Meanwhile, several proposed cannabis facilities, including one planned for the former Chez Josef banquet house in Agawam, have been scrapped due to an inability to secure financing amid dramatically changing market conditions.

Cannabis got off to a fast and quite solid start in this region, with facilities opening in most area cities and towns, absorbing vacant or underutilized real estate — ranging from former mill buildings to the Springfield Newspapers headquarters facility in downtown Springfield — in the process.

This has been especially true in Holyoke, a city that has aggressively courted the industry, with many former mills, some of which had been vacant for years, being retrofitted for growing operations and dispensaries. Trulieve’s Holyoke facility, formerly home to Conklin Office Furniture, will soon be on the market, and given the current downward trends in the sector, there are certainly question marks about whether another large-scale operation will be taking over that space.

It’s been a time of change and turbulence for the region’s cannabis sector as prices continue to fall and competition in Massachusetts and surrounding states continues to mount. This business was never as easy as it looked, given the hurdles that need to be cleared to simply open the doors and the high taxes that operations must pay. But now, it’s much more difficult to be profitable.

It is our hope that those that can survive this whitewater can stay in the game for the long term, because cannabis has become an important part of the region’s economy, one that has provided a real boost to communities like Holyoke, Easthampton, Northampton, and others.

The ‘green rush’ is losing some of its steam, but it is still a potent force within this market.

Rise & Shine Business Breakfast to Host Leaders of Local Colleges, Universities

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Western Mass. is home to several esteemed colleges and universities. These higher-education institutions not only shape the future of students and aspiring professionals, but also contribute to the regional economy and provide growth opportunities.

The Springfield Regional Chamber’s next Rise & Shine Business Breakfast will shine a light on these local colleges and universities and how they shape the region’s future. The event will take place Thursday, June 8 from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. at Western New England University, on the third floor of the University Commons.

Attendees will hear remarks from Sandra Doran, president of Bay Path University; Robert Johnson, president of Western New England University; James Birge, president of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts; Hubert Benitez, president of American International College; Kerry Calnan, chief of staff in the Office of the President at Springfield College; Gladys Franco, assistant vice president of Workforce Development at Springfield Technical Community College; Jeff Hayden, vice president for Business and Community Services at Holyoke Community College; and Springfield Regional Chamber President Diana Szynal on behalf of Greenfield Community College.

Tickets cost $40 for members and $50 for general admission. Click here to register.

Gary Rome Auto Group Promotes New Chief Operating Officer, General Manager

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Daily News

HOLYOKE — On June 1, Gary Rome, president and CEO of Gary Rome Auto Group, promoted two internal employees. Timothy Ferreira has been promoted to chief operating officer of the company, and Kevin Schechterle has been promoted to general manager of Gary Rome Hyundai.

Ferreira has been with the organization for 21 years as fixed operations manager, parts manager, and most recently general manager at Gary Rome Hyundai. He has played a significant role in the dealership’s success, with record-breaking months, high employee retention, and numerous awards, including cleanest dealership and #1 in customer satisfaction, and most recently the 2023 TIME Dealer of the Year Award and Hyundai Board of Excellence.

He was instrumental in the design and build of the upgraded, 34,000-square-foot GDSI 2.0 Hyundai dealership in 2016; installation of the dealership’s solar field; and electric-vehicle infrastructure, which includes six level-2 chargers and two level-3 chargers; and he is currently overseeing the design and build of the 10,000-square-foot car wash, dog wash, and detail center on site. In his new position as COO, Ferreira will oversee the entire operational management of Gary Rome Hyundai, Gary Rome Kia of Enfield, and the new car wash, dog wash, and detail center, expected to open this fall.

The position of chief operating officer is a newly created position for the auto group, due to the expediential growth of the dealerships and development of the new car-wash facility.

Schechterle has been with Gary Rome Hyundai for nine years and held the positions of service manager, sales manager, and general sales manager. He will continue to expand his expertise in sales and daily operations of the dealership in his new role and is focused on customer satisfaction and employee retention. He will oversee all departments, including sales, finance, service, parts, business development, marketing, human resources, accounting, and corporate culture.

STCC to Offer Certifications in EMT, Phlebotomy

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) will offer two healthcare courses, emergency medical technician (EMT) and phlebotomy certification, starting in June.

The EMT course, which begins Tuesday, June 6, is open to anyone 18 and older, while the phlebotomy course, starting Tuesday, June 20, is for people working in approved healthcare worker roles.

The EMT course, which runs June 6 through Aug. 19, covers all medical concepts and techniques used to provide emergency care in pre-hospital settings. The program teaches skills such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation and automated external defibrillation, among other EMT skills. On-campus labs are Tuesday from 8 a.m. to noon.

The class is a mixture of online and in-person work. For more information and to register, visit stcc.io/emt.

The phlebotomy for healthcare workers class, open to anyone licensed in various medical fields, runs June 20 through July 11. Class hours are 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and labs for the course will be held in-person on the STCC campus.

The non-credit course, offered through the Workforce Development Center at STCC, prepares students to take the exam to become a certified phlebotomist in Massachusetts. The class is designed to teach workers in certified healthcare positions to draw blood for diagnostic procedures.

Anyone interested in taking the class should have a current healthcare certification in at least one of the following healthcare roles (those with certification in other healthcare fields not listed may be eligible):

certified nursing assistant (CNA), emergency medical technician (EMT), patient care technician (PCT), certified medical assistant (CMA), licensed practical nurse (LPN), certified electrocardiogram technician (CET), or certified dental assistant (CDA).

Certified phlebotomists can work in emergency rooms, clinics, doctor’s offices, and bloodmobiles, among other healthcare venues. The fee for the class includes the National Healthcare Assoc. Exam.

To enroll online and learn more about this course, visit www.stcc.edu/wdc/healthcare and click the ‘phlebotomy certification for healthcare workers’ link.

For more information, contact the Workforce Development Center at (413) 755-4225 or [email protected].

Blue Sox Announce Opening Weekend Promotions

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Daily News

HOLYOKE — The Valley Blue Sox return to MacKenzie Stadium next week, with their first home game on Thursday, June 8 at 6:35 p.m. The team will then have three more home games on June 9, 10, and 11.

The team announced that any fans who attend all four games June 8-11 will receive their choice of either four flex tickets to any of the remaining home games this season, or early access to a new Blue Sox T-shirt before it goes on sale. Fans will receive a punch card on opening night that will be filled in with different-colored stickers at each game until all four are collected after the weekend.

On opening night, the team will be facing the Bristol Blues and giving away magnet schedules. The following night, Friday, June 9, at 6:35 p.m. versus the Ocean State Wolves, the team will be hosting Isenberg Night and giving away T-shirts sponsored by Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst. The first 100 UMass students to show their UCard upon entry will receive a voucher for one free meal and drink. On Saturday, June 10 at 6:35 p.m. versus the North Shore Navigators, Boston Beer Co. will be sponsoring a Dogfish Tasting night, and fans will be able to enter a Red Sox/Sam Adams bench raffle. Finally, on Sunday, June 11 at 3 p.m. versus the Martha’s Vineyard Sharks, the city of Holyoke will be celebrating its 150th anniversary with the team.

Fans are encouraged to come show their support for the start of the new season, and the Blue Sox look forward to seeing fans back at MacKenzie Stadium next Thursday.

Dress for Success Liquidation Tag Sale Taking Place June 16-22

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Dress for Success Western Massachusetts is inviting the public to shop for high-quality, gently used women’s clothing — casual and professional clothing, shoes, purses, scarves, belts, jewelry, and more — for the price of $25 for a small bag and $45 for a large bag.

The organization is moving out of the Eastfield Mall, so everything must go. The liquidation tag sale takes place from Friday, June 16 to Thursday, June 22 between the hours of 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. each day (except for Sunday, which will be open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.).

The sale will take place inside the Eastfield Mall, and volunteers will replenish the stock of items regularly throughout each day. Items are available in all sizes, carefully inspected, hung or neatly folded, and sorted by size and style.

All proceeds of this liquidation sale go directly toward supporting Dress for Success’ programs and services, including work-readiness education, interview training, mentoring, and digital-literacy coaching. All these programs are offered at no cost to women and non-binary people who are seeking meaningful employment.

“At Dress for Success Western Massachusetts, we offer our clients access to education, tools, options, encouragement, and, importantly, the support necessary to thrive,” said Margaret Tantillo, executive director of Dress for Success Western Massachusetts.

BusinessWest to Celebrate 40 Under Forty on June 15, Announces Livestream

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Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — BusinessWest recently unveiled its 40 Under Forty class of 2023, the 17th compilation of rising stars in the regional business community. One of the most anticipated events of the year, the 40 Under Forty Gala, taking place Thursday, June 15 at the Log Cabin in Holyoke, will celebrate the class of 2023, which was announced and profiled in the May 1, issue of BusinessWest and online at businesswest.com/40-under-forty/40underforty.

The sold-out gala will feature a VIP pre-event reception for the honorees, sponsors, and judges; networking; and the live announcement of this year’s Alumni Achievement Award honoree and the introduction of the members of the class of 2023.

Tickets to the 40 Under Forty Gala are sold out, but the awards program will be available via livestream at businesswest.com/40-under-forty/40underforty beginning at 6:30 p.m. on June 15. Anyone who does not have a ticket to the event is encouraged to join us for the livestream.

More than 120 nominations were received for this year’s class, with entries scored by a panel of five judges who weighed everything from career accomplishments to involvement in the community. Those with the 40 highest scores made the list.

Members of the class of 2023 represent virtual every sector of the economy — from healthcare to education; from the nonprofit sector to banking and financial services. While many are professionals working for area companies large and small, several members of this class are true entrepreneurs, launching their own business or nonprofit agency.

40 Under Forty is presented by PeoplesBank and is sponsored by Comcast Business, Live Nation, the Markens Group, Mercedes-Benz of Springfield, MGM Springfield, Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst, and Webber & Grinnell Insurance. The Alumni Achievement Award is presented by Health New England.

Step into the World of the Simpsons at Moe’s Tavern Pop-up Event

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Daily News

WEST SPRINGFIELD — Get ready to step into the world of The Simpsons as the iconic Moe’s Tavern comes to life in a pop-up event taking place June 2-11 at Two Weeks Notice Brewing, 110 Bosworth St., West Springfield.

Coinciding with the grand opening is the celebration of National Donut Day, making it the perfect time to indulge in the Lardy, Lardy, Lardy — a giant doughnut loaded with various confections and served with a tall commemorative glass filled with Grandma Plopwell’s finest chocolate pudding. Visitors to this immersive experience can enjoy offerings from local vendors and even try a custom event-themed beer and can design created by Two Weeks.

To make the event even more exciting, the West Springfield Mayor Will Reichelt will make a special appearance on Friday, June 2 from 6 to 7 p.m., wearing his ‘mayor’ sash, just like Mayor Quimby from the show, adding an extra touch of authenticity to the experience.

For 34 years, Moe’s Tavern has been a beloved location for fans of The Simpsons, and now they can step into the world of their favorite animated show, no remote needed. Guests can take a picture with the famous pickled eggs, try their hand at the Love Tester, or even catch one of Moe’s infamous crank calls.

In order to ensure that everyone has an expansive and unique experience, all tickets will be timed and limited, so there is plenty of space for photos and fun. Click here to purchase tickets.

The Arbors to Host Two Lectures by Author of New Book on Dementia Prevention

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Daily News

CHICOPEE — What if half of all dementias could be avoided? Half of all dementia nursing-home beds emptied? Half of all caretakers freed up to lead more normal lives with parents and spouses who still ‘have it?’ And what if this was not the result of taking some pill, eating some superfood, playing some mind game, or holding your fork in the left hand instead of your right? What if it was a matter of understanding the science that exists today and applying that knowledge to yourself? What if you could keep thinking like you are 50 when you become 80?

Mitchell Clionsky, an expert in brain preservation, shows how to stack the dementia deck in one’s favor by reading and following the prescription in his new book, Dementia Prevention: Using Your Head to Save Your Brain. He will present a lecture, Q&A session, and book signing on Tuesday, June 6 at 7 p.m. at the Arbors at Chicopee, 929 Memorial Dr., and on Thursday, June 8 at 7 p.m. at the Arbors at Westfield, 40 Court St. Please RSVP for this event to [email protected].

Dementia Prevention offers a guided tour through dementia types, teaches the history of these neurological diseases, and discusses the more than 15 different factors known to affect one’s risk. It builds a visual model of dementia risk, chapter by chapter, pulling all of this information together in a clear picture of how these various pieces interact. By filling out an individual dementia-risk checklist included in the book (and available online at www.braindoc.com), readers can create their own picture of their strengths and areas needing improvement.

EforAll Showcase & Gala Slated for June 8 at Hot Plate Brewing Company

By
Daily News

PITTSFIELD — Entrepreneurship for All (EforAll) Berkshire County will celebrate the nine graduates of the 2023 Spring Accelerator Program and award nearly $7,000 in seed capital at its Showcase and Gala at Hot Plate Brewing Company on Thursday, June 8 at 5:30 p.m.

EforAll Berkshire County began its seventh accelerator in February and will celebrate the nine businesses that have completed this intensive program. They spent 12 weeks learning from experts on a variety of topics about business. With the help of 27 volunteer mentors, the entrepreneurs have developed plans to build and sustain their businesses.

The ceremony will feature pitches from the nine graduates, a speech presented by one of the graduating cohort members, and distribution of the $7,000 prize pool. Prior to the ceremony, the graduates have been invited to table and showcase their businesses as well as sell goods between 5:30 and 6:30 p.m. The ceremony will begin at 6:30 p.m.

Girls on the Run Western Massachusetts to Host 5K Celebration 5K on June 3

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Girls on the Run Western Massachusetts will host its annual spring 5K event on Saturday, June 3 at Western New England University and expects between 3,500 and 4,000 people to attend.

Girls on the Run is a physical-activity-based, positive youth-development program that uses fun running games and dynamic discussions to teach life skills to girls grades 3-8. During two 10-week programs each year, in the fall and spring, girls participate in lessons that foster confidence, build peer connections, and encourage community service while they prepare for an end-of-season, celebratory 5K event.

This spring season of Girls on the Run included 1,030 participants in 75 sites around Western Mass., with 285 volunteer coaches bringing the curriculum to life. The run starts at 10:30 a.m., but the group warm-up will begin at 10 a.m., and participants will arrive for fun events at 9:30 a.m.

Participation in the 5K event is open to the public, and all proceeds from the event will benefit Girls on the Run Western Massachusetts. The Registration cost is $30 for adults and $10 for youth, and includes an event shirt.

Early arrival is suggested. Registration opens at 8:30 a.m. Girls on the Run is also looking for volunteers for this event. For more information about the event, how to register, and volunteer opportunities, visit www.girlsontherunwesternma.org.

State Announces Nearly $250,000 in Grants to Support Local Food Systems

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Daily News

BOSTON — The Healey-Driscoll administration announced awards of nearly $250,000 in Local Food Policy Council program funding to 17 organizations across Massachusetts. These Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) grants will enhance the work of existing and new local food-policy councils and food working groups across Massachusetts. The grants will help to accelerate their development, expand their capacity, and increase their connections and opportunities for peer-to-peer learning to support the local food system.

“Massachusetts’ local food-policy councils and food working groups are vital to the fabric of our food system and help connect communities to healthy, nutritious foods. We are happy to recognize and invest in this important work,” Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper said. “This support is critical, especially as our local food system weathers an increasingly volatile climate.”

MDAR Commissioner Ashley Randle added that “we greatly appreciate this appropriation from our partners in the state Legislature to provide these grants to our Massachusetts local food-policy councils and food working groups. Projects and initiatives funded through this program will develop and continue work to impact the long-term viability and sustainability of our local food system in Massachusetts.”

Six of the grants benefit programs in Western Mass, including:

• Hampshire County Food Policy Council, Northampton: $19,999 to coordinate training for the sustainability of the council;

• Hilltown CDC, Chesterfield: $9,368 to create a farmer/food producer working circle to discuss distribution, production, and environmental issues negatively affecting the local food system and identify strategies to address the conditions;

• Holyoke Food Economy Coalition, Holyoke: $8,000 to address food insecurity, including the support of local food businesses and food entrepreneurs to create jobs and improve wages in food and farming;

• Just Roots, Greenfield: $12,399.75, through which the Franklin County Food Council will conduct an analysis of its current food-policy assets, strengths, gaps, and priorities with a focus on capacity building and bringing a more diverse group of stakeholders to the table while re-engaging current members;

• South Berkshire Rural Health Network, Great Barrington: $11,820, through which the Food Access Working Group of South Berkshire County will develop a strategic plan and improve connections to the region’s most vulnerable residents; and

• Town of Ware: $11,970 to create the Quaboag Valley Region Food Policy Council.

WSU Names Kevin Hearn Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs

By
Daily News

WESTFIELD — Westfield State University (WSU) President Linda Thompson has appointed Kevin Hearn as vice president for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs. Hearn will begin his duties on July 3.

As WSU continues to reinforce and build systems to support the needs of students and the surrounding communities, “Dr. Hearn’s dedication as an experienced, innovative steward of higher education will play an important role in advancing the university’s concept of IDEAS — innovation, diversity, engagement, and advancement — that ultimately leads to student success,” Thompson said. “The breadth of Dr. Hearn’s experience stood out from many qualified candidates, and I look forward to working with him to tell the story of Westfield State University.”

With 30 years of higher-education experience, Hearn’s curricular and co-curricular leadership spans enrollment, student affairs, academic support, and communications.

“I wish to thank Dr. Thompson, the selection committee, and all those who participated in the nationwide search for inviting me to serve in this post at Westfield State University,” Hearn said. “This position will play a critical role in addressing the needs of prospective and current students and in creating a more seamless and vibrant student experience from the point of admission through graduation. During my campus visit, I was impressed with the passion with which Westfield State students, staff, and faculty spoke of the university and their experiences. I look forward to partnering with them, as well as with the board of trustees, local and regional community organizations and businesses, and Westfield State alumni, to foster a culture of innovation and engagement that inspires all campus members to build on the rich history of Westfield State University.”

Hearn most recently served as vice president for Enrollment Management at Robert Morris University in Pittsburgh, where he was responsible for leadership and management of all staff and operations within the offices of undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, and international admissions, as well as the office of Financial Aid.

Prior to this role, he served as vice president for Strategic Enrollment Management at Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia and vice president for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs at Niagara University in Lewiston, N.Y., and held leadership roles in Enrollment Management and Student Affairs at Dean College in Franklin, Mass.

Hearn earned his doctorate in education from Nova Southeastern University in Miami, his master’s degree in counseling and educational psychology from Rhode Island College in Providence, and his bachelor’s degree in political science from Le Moyne College in Syracuse, N.Y.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampden County Honored with Gold Standard Award

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Daily News

WEST SPRINGFIELD — For the tenth year in a row, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampden County (BBBSHC) has been recognized for its quality of service by Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA). This time around, BBBSHC has been named a Gold Standard Award winner.

Every year, the BBBSA Nationwide Leadership Council, made up of local Big Brothers Big Sisters agency leaders and board members, selects agencies for excellence in the organization’s signature one-to-one youth-mentoring program. Out of 225 agencies across the country, BBBSHC is one of 26 organizations to receive this top honor.

The Gold Standard Award recognizes agencies that have increased their revenue and grown the number of mentors (‘bigs’) and youth (‘littles’) who are matched through the program, year over year. In the past year, BBBSHC has served approximately 300 youth and grown its local services by 10%.

“Awards like this are never a singular accomplishment. With a constant focus on program quality and on serving as many of our youth as possible, the BBBSHC team helped achieve a big win for the entire community,” said David Beturne, executive director of BBBSHC. “And of

course, we can’t take all the credit for this achievement. This award couldn’t have happened without the help of our generous donors and our amazing volunteers. Thank you so much to everyone who helped us to defend the potential in Hampden County youth.”

For more than 100 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters has been dedicated to igniting potential for at-risk youth, making a lasting impact on the lives of young people. Today, the organization creates and supports one-to-one mentoring relationships, helping to build self-confidence and emotional well-being and empowering young people on a path to graduate with a plan for their futures and a mentor whose impact can last a lifetime.

“We are extremely proud to honor Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampden County this year. Their innovative efforts and actions are leading the way in which our Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies empower young people across the country,” BBBSA President and CEO Artis Stevens said. “We congratulate and thank these agencies for the outstanding work they do every day to support the life-changing mentorship matches they form and facilitate.”

The Gold Standard Award winners will be formally recognized at the 2023 Big Brothers Big Sisters Bigger Together National Conference, held June 26-29 in California.

Excel Dryer to Host Free ‘Meet the Beekeeper’ Community-appreciation Event

By
Daily News

EAST LONGMEADOW — When Excel Dryer Inc., manufacturer of the XLERATOR Hand Dryer, was completing its state-of-the-art, green, and health-conscious office renovation in 2021, it included an especially unusual initiative. The company partnered with Best Bees to add honeybee hives on the property to cultivate local honey. On Thursday, June 1 at noon, Excel Dryer will host a free “Meet the Beekeeper” event at its facility on 357 Chestnut St. in East Longmeadow.

“We are very excited to show off this unique feature and give people a chance to learn more about honeybees and the important role they play in supporting our local ecosystem,” said William Gagnon, executive vice president and chief operating officer at Excel Dryer. “These hives help ensure reliable bee health and have a positive impact on the environment. Plus, the honey is delicious.”

In addition to being able to meet the beekeeper, guests will learn fun facts about the fascinating honeybee and ways to help support the local bee population. The event will include the chance to sample local honey produced in the Excel Dryer hives, which recently had a facelift with custom homes to match Excel’s custom hand-dryer covers.

“We are proud to manufacture an environmentally friendly product, so including sustainable resources in our new office was a priority,” Gagnon said. “Other environmentally friendly features include tunable LED lighting, living walls, large windows for natural light, and recycled building materials, among others.”

Gagnon noted that Excel is anticipating strong turnout for this event, including local school children and senior-center members. “This is a wonderful opportunity to show our appreciation for our local community in an engaging way. We’re planning a fun and interesting event for all ages.”

Berkshire Agricultural Ventures Names Rebecca Busansky Executive Director

By
Daily News

GREAT BARRINGTON — Berkshire Agriculture Ventures (BAV) announced the appointment of Rebecca Busansky as its new executive director, following the successful tenure of interim Executive Director Glenn Bergman.

Bergman’s leadership during a critical period at BAV resulted in significant advancement for the organization over the past two and a half years. Under his guidance, BAV experienced solid growth as he built a team of experts to lead BAV’s programs and successfully secured support for the organization’s initiatives. Bergman will collaborate with Busansky over the upcoming month to ensure a smooth transition.

Busansky was formerly a program director at the Franklin County Community Development Corp. (FCCDC). Busansky joined the FCCDC in 2015, and her work focused on helping local farms thrive and increasing food access. During her time there, Busansky and her team launched the PVGrows Investment Fund, an innovative community-investment vehicle that provides financing and technical assistance to farms and local food entrepreneurs, primarily in Western Mass. She also managed the Massachusetts Food Trust Program, which provides financing to increase the availability of affordable, healthy food in underserved communities across the Commonwealth, since its inception in 2018.

“Rebecca’s experience could not be more aligned with BAV’s mission and offerings,” said Thomas Gardner, BAV board president. “She brings a wealth of knowledge on farming and food systems in our region. While Glenn’s presence and leadership will be greatly missed, we’re thrilled to welcome Rebecca, who we believe is an excellent champion to move forward our mission. We are very excited that she is joining us.”

Since its founding in 2016 BAV has played a critical role in supporting Berkshire-Taconic region farms and local food businesses. Overall, the organization has provided $1.6 million in low-interest loans and more than $85,000 in microgrants, and provided more than $500,000 (equaling approximately 150 hours) in direct technical assistance to more than 90 local farms and agricultural businesses.

“I am honored and excited to take on the role of executive director at Berkshire Agricultural Ventures,” said Busansky, who holds an undergraduate degree from Brown University and has worked in the community economic-development field for more than 30 years. “I look forward to working with the talented team here to build on the organization’s success and together continue to bring new ideas and innovations to our work.”

BusinessTalk with Erica Swallow, Top-selling Realtor for Coldwell Banker

By
Business Talk Podcast Special Coverage

We are excited to announce that BusinessWest has launched a new podcast series, BusinessTalk. Each episode will feature in-depth interviews and discussions with local industry leaders, providing thoughtful perspectives on the Western Massachuetts economy and the many business ventures that keep it running during these challenging times.

Go HERE to view all episodes

Episode 164: May 30, 2023

Joseph Bednar Interviews Erica Swallow, Top-selling Realtor for Coldwell Banker

She’s led social-media efforts at the New York Times, won awards for her journalism, served as marketing lead for numerous high-growth startups, wrote a series of children’s books about entrepreneurship, and is now one of the top-selling Realtors in the world for Coldwell Banker. And that’s not all. Erica Swallow is the highest-scoring honoree in BusinessWest’s 40 Under Forty class of 2023, and on this installment of BusinessTalk, BusinessWest Editor Joe Bednar sets out to learn why. In an engaging, wide-ranging interview, this Arkansas native talks about her intriguing career journey, her passion for entrepreneurship and this region, and much more. It’s must listening, so tune in to BusinessTalk, a podcast presented by BusinessWest and sponsored by PeoplesBank.

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ShopOne Acquires Heritage Park Plaza in East Longmeadow

By
Daily News

EAST LONGMEADOW — ShopOne Centers REIT Inc., a fully integrated, grocery-anchored shopping center investment, management, and operating platform, together with its joint venture (JV) partners, Pantheon and a leading global institutional investor, announced their entry into Massachusetts with the acquisition of Heritage Park Plaza in East Longmeadow, a 117,337-square-foot shopping center anchored by Stop & Shop.

Heritage Park Plaza, which is 98% occupied, is strategically located along Route 83, a heavily traveled thoroughfare, and is serviced by three major highways, Interstates 90, 91, and 291. More than 202,300 people reside within five miles of the center, with an average household income of $88,500. Heritage Park Plaza has benefited from strong and consistent sales from its diverse tenant mix, which includes a variety of leading national retailers and regional brands such as Petco, Orangetheory Fitness, Panera, Dollar Tree, Pure Barre, 99 Restaurant and Pub, and H&R Block.

“Heritage Park Plaza is an institutional-quality asset with a strong and synergistic merchandising mix that is anchored by a high-volume flagship grocer, and is exemplary of the kind of asset we are seeking to acquire to grow our portfolio,” said Chris Reed, chief investment officer at ShopOne. “With its significant barriers to entry for new development, demonstrated tenant success, and established retail trade areas, New England will continue to be a target market for us, and we are very pleased to now have a presence in this region. We look forward to serving consumers in the area and growing our footprint in mature and densely populated markets like this one, as well as in those that exhibit similar characteristics throughout the country.”

Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary to Present Run/Walk Event on June 25

By
Daily News

LENOX — On Sunday, June 25, Mass Audubon’s Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary will presents its eighth annual Wild Thing 5K/10K Trail Race and 5K Walk. The race is an important fundraiser for Mass Audubon, and all proceeds will benefit its extensive education programs and conservation efforts throughout Berkshire County.

The races and walk will begin at 9 a.m. at the wildlife sanctuary on West Mountain Road. Both routes feature the single-track trails and scenic carriage roads of nearby Kennedy Park.

All racers and walkers are invited to a post-race celebration outside Pleasant Valley’s big red barn, where they can enjoy light refreshments. During this time, prizes will be awarded to top winners and runners-up of the 10K and 5K races. All race participants will receive a tote bag from Blue Q and are eligible to win prizes donated from local businesses. The first 350 participants will receive a limited-edition Wild Thing sticker.

The entry fee for the races is $30 until Thursday, June 1; $35 until Thursday, June 22; and $40 for day-of registrations. Runners age 12 and under are $10, and ages 13-18 are $20. Race-day registration will be held in person from 7 to 8 a.m. only. This year’s Wild Thing lead sponsor is Interprint, with support from many other local community sponsors.

“Whether you’re a runner or not, the Wild Thing is a ton of fun, with plenty of extras that set it apart from an ordinary race,” said Becky Cushing Gop, regional director for Mass Audubon. “Whether you come for the post-race snacks or the Blue Q runners’ bags, at the end of the day, you are supporting kids getting outside and falling in love with nature. What’s not to love about that?”

For more information, to register online, or to sign up to volunteer, visit www.massaudubon.org/wildthing.

Engineers at UMass Amherst Harvest Abundant Clean Energy From Thin Air

By
Daily News

AMHERST — A team of engineers at UMass Amherst recently showed that nearly any material can be turned into a device that continuously harvests electricity from humidity in the air. The secret lies in being able to pepper the material with nanopores less than 100 nanometers in diameter. The research appeared in the journal Advanced Materials.

“This is very exciting,” said Xiaomeng Liu, a graduate student in electrical and computer engineering in UMass Amherst’s College of Engineering and the paper’s lead author. “We are opening up a wide door for harvesting clean electricity from thin air.”

“The air contains an enormous amount of electricity,” added Jun Yao, assistant professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering in the College of Engineering at UMass Amherst and the paper’s senior author. “Think of a cloud, which is nothing more than a mass of water droplets. Each of those droplets contains a charge, and when conditions are right, the cloud can produce a lightning bolt — but we don’t know how to reliably capture electricity from lightning. What we’ve done is to create a human-built, small-scale cloud that produces electricity for us predictably and continuously so that we can harvest it.”

The heart of the man-made cloud depends on what Yao and his colleagues call the ‘generic Air-gen effect,’ and it builds on work that Yao and co-author Derek Lovley, distinguished professor of Microbiology at UMass Amherst, had previously completed in 2020, showing that electricity could be continuously harvested from the air using a specialized material made of protein nanowires grown from the bacterium Geobacter sulfurreducens.

“What we realized after making the Geobacter discovery is that the ability to generate electricity from the air — what we then called the ‘Air-gen effect’ — turns out to be generic: literally any kind of material can harvest electricity from air, as long as it has a certain property,” Yao said.

That property? “It needs to have holes smaller than 100 nanometers (nm), or less than a thousandth of the width of a human hair.”

This is because of a parameter known as the ‘mean free path,’ the distance a single molecule of a substance, in this case water in the air, travels before it bumps into another single molecule of the same substance. When water molecules are suspended in the air, their mean free path is about 100 nm.

Yao and his colleagues realized they could design an electricity harvester based around this number. This harvester would be made from a thin layer of material filled with nanopores smaller than 100 nm that would let water molecules pass from the upper to the lower part of the material. But because each pore is so small, the water molecules would easily bump into the pore’s edge as they pass through the thin layer. This means that the upper part of the layer would be bombarded with many more charge-carrying water molecules than the lower part, creating a charge imbalance, like that in a cloud, as the upper part increased its charge relative to the lower part. This would effectually create a battery — one that runs as long as there is any humidity in the air.

“The idea is simple, but it’s never been discovered before, and it opens all kinds of possibilities,” Yao said, adding that the harvester could be designed from literally all kinds of material, offering broad choices for cost-effective and environment-adaptable fabrications. “You could image harvesters made of one kind of material for rainforest environments, and another for more arid regions.”

And since humidity is ever-present, the harvester would run 24/7, rain or shine, at night and whether or not the wind blows, which solves one of the major problems of technologies like wind or solar, which only work under certain conditions.

Finally, because air humidity diffuses in three-dimensional space and the thickness of the Air-gen device is only a fraction of the width of a human hair, many thousands of them can be stacked on top of each other, efficiently scaling up the amount of energy without increasing the footprint of the device. Such an Air-gen device would be capable of delivering kilowatt-level power for general electrical utility usage.

“Imagine a future world in which clean electricity is available anywhere you go,” Yao said. “The generic Air-gen effect means that this future world can become a reality.”

This research was supported by the National Science Foundation, Sony Group, Link Foundation, and the Institute for Applied Life Sciences at UMass Amherst, which combines deep and interdisciplinary expertise from 29 departments on the UMass Amherst campus to translate fundamental research into innovations that benefit human health and well-being.

Hooplandia Announces Perks for Early Registrants

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Registration is open for Hooplandia, the Northeast’s premier 3-on-3 basketball tourney and festival, presented by Dunkin’ and hosted by Eastern States Exposition and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on June 23-25.

Any four-person team that registers at www.hooplandia.com by Sunday, June 4 will receive one ticket to the 2023 Big E, one Dunkin’ gift card, and one ticket to a Connecticut Sun game for each team member.

Qualifying participants will receive their Big E ticket and Dunkin’ gift card when they pick up their registration packet between Thursday, June 22 and Saturday, June 24. As a benefit of being a Hooplandia team player, the Connecticut Sun will provide participants with a complimentary ticket to any game with the purchase of any other ticket. Registrants will receive a link to redeem their ticket following the June 4 deadline.

The inaugural Hooplandia event will provide playing opportunities for people of all ages and abilities as the focus of a weekend of family entertainment. There will also be food, music, and fun activities for all who attend.

With 19 playing divisions and games on outside and inside courts, there’s a place for everyone, from all-star athletes to those who enjoy a pick-up game with friends. The final registration deadline is Monday, June 19.

Basketball Hall of Fame Adds Lighting Feature to Exterior of Iconic Dome

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced a recent addition to the museum’s iconic exterior, a state-of-the-art LED projection lighting display. The dome, one of the city’s most prominent structures, will be lit up every night and will display an array of festive colors and patterns for holidays and events throughout the year.

“We’ve completed a major renovation on the inside of the Hall, and adding this dynamic lighting package to the building’s exterior demonstrates our ongoing commitment to beautifying the property and enhancing the riverfront area,” said John Doleva, president and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. “We couldn’t be more pleased with the result and to be able to help light Springfield’s night sky.”

In an effort to honor those who have sacrificed everything in service to the nation, the dome and building will be lit red, white, and blue this Memorial Day weekend, May 25-29.

This summer, the Basketball Hall of Fame will light the night to celebrate the winner of the NBA Finals, Independence Day, Enshrinement Weekend, and more.

bankESB Hires Joe Williams as Vice President, Commercial Lender

By
Daily News

EASTHAMPTON — bankESB recently announced that Joe Williams has been hired as vice president, commercial lender.

Williams has 12 years of banking experience, including his most recent roles as AVP, business banking officer at PeoplesBank, and AVP, credit officer at United Bank.

He holds a master’s degree in communication from Bay Path University and a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and finance from Westfield State University. He serves as president of the East Longmeadow Baseball Assoc., as well as treasurer of the East Longmeadow Housing Authority.

New Greenfield Skate Park Ready for Use

By
Daily News

GREENFIELD — The Greenfield Recreation Department announced the soft opening of its new skate park located at 71 Chapman St. The 10,000-square-foot park, designed by Pillar Design and constructed by Mountain View Landscapes with Artisan Skateparks, is nearing completion and will be open for use beginning today, May 26. A formal grand-opening celebration is being planned for Wednesday, June 21, which is National Go Skateboarding Day.

“The park has been a true community effort that has finally come to fruition,” Recreation Director Christy Moore said. “We know the community is very eager to skate this new facility, so now that the contractor’s work is mostly complete, we are opening the park ahead of the grand celebration slated for the end of June. It’s been a long time coming, and we couldn’t be more thrilled.”

While the park will open for use beginning today, the public is reminded that additional site work may continue into the weeks ahead. The park will be open daily from dawn until dusk, and skaters are asked to abide by all park rules, which are posted.

The new park is designed for all ages and abilities and features many street-style elements, including ramps, stairs, rails, hubbas, a pier seven, a flip bank, and a vert wall that resembles Greenfield’s own Poet’s Seat Tower. The tower was painted by local artist Suzanne Gale with financial support from the Greenfield Local Cultural Council. Additional park elements include a shade structure, benches, a water fountain with refill station, and a Lyra solar charging station.

The park, which broke ground in September 2022, has been long-awaited by Greenfield’s skate community, which has been petitioning for a new park since 2010, when the city’s former park closed. After more than a decade, skateboarders will now have a safe environment to participate in their sport.

The park would not have been possible without financial contributions from the Commonwealth’s Parkland Acquisitions and Renovations for Communities grant, an appropriation through Greenfield’s Capital Improvement Program, and American Rescue Plan Act funding, as well as significant donations from the late Lewis Scott, the Kiwanis Club of Greenfield, Greening Greenfield, Friends of Greenfield Recreation, and the fundraising efforts of the skate community. More details about the park’s grand-opening celebration will be released in the weeks to come.

Hometown Mortgage to Host Three Seminars for First-time Homebuyers

By
Daily News

EASTHAMPTON — Hometown Mortgage is hosting three first-time homebuyer seminars on Tuesday, June 6; Wednesday, June 7; and Tuesday, June 13 from 6 to 9 p.m. at 7 Campus Lane in Easthampton.

Jeff Hutchins, mortgage loan originator at Hometown Mortgage, along with other real-estate professionals, will lead this certified course recognized by the Massachusetts Housing Partnership and MassHousing. This workshop will help attendees qualify for special mortgage products, provide tips to improve their credit, and prepare them as they approach this important life decision.

The cost to attend one of these first-time homebuyer seminars is $50 for two adults in the same household. For more information and to register for one of the upcoming events, visit valleycdc.org.

Roadwork Challenges Hadley’s Main Artery

By Contributor
Asparagus Festival
Community Spotlight

Community Spotlight

By Mark Morris

Molly Keegan

Molly Keegan co-founded the Hadley Business Council to address the needs of local companies.

Each spring, the town of Hadley attracts attention for its asparagus crops, as well as its crowded hotels and restaurants due to college graduations in surrounding towns.

This year’s asparagus crop is strong, and the Asparagus Festival is back and bigger than ever (more on that later). Graduations are all on schedule, too. Getting to all those events — well, that can be a challenge.

Route 9 — Russell Street in Hadley — is undergoing a reconstruction of two and a quarter miles of roadway, which involves replacing infrastructure below the road as well as upgrading and widening at the surface.

In most towns with just over 5,300 residents, a road project would present only a minor inconvenience. But Hadley’s geography places it in a unique situation because Route 9 serves as the main artery connecting it to Northampton, Amherst, and several other towns. Between the universities and businesses in the area, traffic through Hadley — a largely rural community both north and south of Russell Street — can easily top 100,000 vehicles a day.

To keep things moving, communication becomes essential. With college graduations scheduled for the latter part of May, followed immediately by Memorial Day, Carolyn Brennan, Hadley’s town administrator, said mid- to late May is among the most challenging times.

“Once we get through the next few weeks, that will be huge,” Brennan said, noting that traffic becomes more manageable once the colleges empty out for the summer.

The week of May 7 proved particularly disruptive, as town projects were scheduled on several side roads — the same side roads drivers were using to avoid the Route 9 construction.

“We felt like there are issues unique to Hadley; the widening of Route 9 is a perfect example.”

“We called it the perfect nightmare,” Brennan said, adding that police got involved to encourage residents to sign up for daily notices about where construction was taking place. “I’m so proud of the Hadley Police Department for taking a proactive approach to send out alerts every morning to residents so they know what streets will be impacted.”

While it’s helpful when the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (DOT) issues weekly updates on Route 9 construction, Molly Keegan, Hadley Select Board member and co-owner of Curran and Keegan Financial, felt businesses in town needed more.

As an active member of the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce, Keegan felt Route 9 construction created several issues for Hadley businesses that did not affect chamber members in other towns. So she and Kishore Parmar, whose Pioneer Valley Hotel Group owns two hotels in Hadley, formed the Hadley Business Council.

“We felt like there are issues unique to Hadley; the widening of Route 9 is a perfect example,” Keegan said. “Not everyone on the Amherst Area Chamber is keenly affected by the construction in the way that Hadley businesses are.”

Kelly Tornow

Kelly Tornow says cannabis companies like HadLeaf need to use every means to get the word out, as advertising is strictly regulated.

After reaching out to the DOT and Baltazar Contractors, the Ludlow-based construction company doing the roadwork, Keegan and Parmar met with town department heads. The purpose of all these meetings was to make everyone aware of the business council and to encourage better communication in all directions.

“We are trying to find ways to leverage the business council so we are all talking, rather than having it be a complaint department,” Keegan said. “Anyone can complain; we’re looking to leverage these relationships.”

Now that the entity has been established, there are already conversations about how it may address future opportunities for Hadley businesses. Claudia Pazmany, executive director of the Amherst Area Chamber, has suggested the Hadley Business Council could look at designing a map that would promote agricultural tourism. Stops along the way would be ice cream at Flayvors of Cook Farm, petting a cow at Mapleline Farm, and more. Keegan noted that farmers in Hadley are looking for ideas like this to promote agri-tourism.

 

Green Days

Located on Route 9, HadLeaf Cannabis is one business accustomed to working through challenges. The group that started HadLeaf signed its community host agreement in February 2020, allowing it to start building the dispensary. Weeks later, COVID-19 shut everything down and caused huge delays. A planned opening for early 2021 was pushed back by delays until HadLeaf was finally able to open in October 2022.

“We had quite a few hiccups to get where we are, just to open,” said Matt McTeague, regional manager for HadLeaf. “Everyone we’ve dealt with from the town has been welcoming and helpful as we worked throughout the process.”

Kelly Tornow, general manager of HadLeaf, has worked in retail for most of her career. Since joining the operation in February 2022, she was part of the effort to get the dispensary up and running.

“We had quite a few hiccups to get where we are, just to open. Everyone we’ve dealt with from the town has been welcoming and helpful as we worked throughout the process.”

“This is the first time I’ve been involved with launching a retail operation from the ground up,” Tornow said. “The biggest challenge was learning all the laws and regulations that come with cannabis.”

To overcome situations like road construction, most retail businesses simply increase their advertising, but advertising cannabis is strictly regulated.

“We’re trying all the avenues that are open to us to get our name out there,” Tornow said, noting that membership in the Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce is one avenue that has been successful. “Because we’re members of the chamber, we have a presence at their golf tournaments and other community events.”

Because podcasts are allowed under the advertising regulations, an informational podcast wil launch soon at hadleafuniversity.com. “We will produce it in the store with different speakers and vendors,” Tornow explained. “The idea is to educate consumers about different aspects of cannabis.”

The HadLeaf name has been a positive marketing tool as well. McTeague said many people compliment him on the creativity of the name. “We wanted something that would be relevant to cannabis and identify with the town of Hadley. We tried a couple combinations, but HadLeaf really stuck.”

But the term ‘Hadley grass’ has nothing to do with cannabis; that’s another name for the crop that has made Hadley the asparagus capital of the world.

For decades, Hadley asparagus has had the reputation of being served in fine restaurants across the globe. According to mediterraneanliving.com, for many years Queen Elizabeth II served Hadley asparagus at her annual Spring Fest.

Asparagus Festival

More than 8,000 people came out to last year’s Asparagus Festival, set for June 3 this year.
Photo by Erin O’Neill

New England Public Media (NEPM) sponsors the annual Asparagus Festival, scheduled this year for Saturday, June 3 on the Hadley Town Common. While the event is in its ninth year, the festival was not held for two years during COVID-19. Before the pandemic, the event drew between 6,000 and 7,000 attendees. Last year, an estimated 8,000 people came out on a sunny Saturday to enjoy the return of the festival. Vanessa Cerillo, NEPM’s senior director of Marketing, Communication, and Events, expects the same kind of crowd this year.

“The Asparagus Festival is about celebrating the wonderful agricultural heritage of Hadley,” Cerillo said. “We’re excited to produce the event and partner with the town of Hadley for the year-long planning that goes into the event.”

More than 100 local food, crafts, cultural, and agricultural vendors will be represented at the festival’s Farmers and Makers Market. Local breweries will set up in the Beers and Spears tent, while food trucks will be on hand with traditional fare as well as fried asparagus and even asparagus ice cream.

For the first time this year, the Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition (MassBike) will take part in the festival, offering free bicycle valet service.

“Everyone who rides their bikes to the festival can leave it with a valet, where it will remain secure while they enjoy the festival,” Cerillo said. “The festival gets so packed with cars that we are encouraging people to ride their bikes to it, if they can.”

Festival attendance is free with a suggested $5 per person (or $20 per family) donation to support public media in Western Mass.

 

Worth the Wait

In addition to approving a new budget at the Hadley town meeting held in early May, the community unanimously approved expansion of ambulance service. Action EMS provides primary ambulance coverage for Hadley. A second ambulance run by the town will shortly be added due to the call volume, which is affected by those 100,000 drivers who use Route 9 every day.

“We certainly benefit from the entire commercial district along Route 9,” Keegan said. “Because of the high traffic volume, we need to provide services like we are a small city and not a rural hamlet.”

To staff the ambulance, the town will hire two additional firefighters trained as EMTs. Brennan said the ambulance is scheduled to be ready by July 1.

“There’s quite a lot involved when you put an ambulance into service,” she explained. “We spent all of last year outfitting the ambulance, training the staff, getting state approvals, and more.”

Hadley at a glance

Year Incorporated: 1661
Population: 5,325
Area: 24.6 square miles
County: Hampshire
Residential Tax Rate: $11.54
Commercial Tax Rate: $11.54
Median Household Income: $51,851
Median Family Income: $61,897
Type of Government: Open Town Meeting, Board of Selectmen
Largest Employers: Super Stop & Shop; Evaluation Systems Group Pearson; Elaine Center at Hadley; Home Depot; Lowe’s Home Improvement
* Latest information available

One long-term project Brennan discussed involves increased maintenance on the West Street levee along the Connecticut River that plays a vital role in flood control for the town.

“The levee is doing its job, but we are continuing to work with engineers to make sure it provides protection well into the future,” she said, adding that the ultimate goal is to achieve FEMA certification, which is a multi-year process.

More immediate town business involves compensation and succession planning. In order to make sure Hadley is paying its employees comparable wages, the town has hired a consulting firm to study compensation. The firm has also been charged with developing a succession plan.

“We have people in key departments who will be looking to retire soon,” Brennan said. “Like many small towns, we have several one-person departments, so we’re getting ready for the number of retirements that are likely to happen in the next few years.”

Another long-term project involves what Keegan called “a big conversation” about housing.

“We are taking a more focused look at our master plan, working with the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission and with UMass,” she said. “If we are going to expand our housing, we need to figure out where should it go and what should it look like.”

The old Russell School, located across the street from Town Hall, will undergo a feasibility study to figure out the best options for possible reuse. Like many Western Mass. towns with older buildings, the cost of rehabilitation to bring it in line with today’s public building codes can exceed millions of dollars.

“The Russell School is a beloved building with a good number of people who want to preserve it and others who don’t want to spend the money to keep it,” Brennan said, noting that the study will look at options for the town to keep the school, pursue a public/private partnership, or sell it outright to a private entity.

Meanwhile, Route 9 construction continues, with the work moving along on schedule — even if vehicle traffic slows, at times, to a crawl. The project is expected to be completed by 2026.

Despite the current headaches, the investment is necessary, Brennan said, with a wider road and new infrastructure transforming Route 9 in ways that will benefit the town for years to come.

Keegan agreed. “I keep telling people, it will be worth the wait.”

For Bill Fletcher, Barbecue Is Community — and a Livelihood

By
Bill Fletcher
Restaurants

Smoke Show

Bill Fletcher

Bill Fletcher shows off a few dozen full racks of ribs that are still a few hours from being ready for prime time.
Staff Photo

Unlike many people in the restaurant industry, Bill Fletcher did not grow up in the business. And it was never really his dream to put his name over the door to an eatery.

Indeed, Fletcher ventured instead into the advertising industry, becoming co-owner of a firm, to be called Domani Studios, that eventually grew to 50 employees with offices in Brooklyn and Chicago.

“That was a great time … we did award-winning stuff, all digital-marketing stuff that was new to everyone at the time,” he recalled, noting that this was the start of this century. “All the major advertisers were still trying to figure out how to build a website, and Facebook was just coming into being.”

But while he was helping clients tell their stories, his — career-wise and otherwise — was starting to change, and in a big way.

“On the side, I just started really getting into barbecue,” he told BusinessWest, adding that this interest started small, on the weekends in the backyard, where he would cook for friends and neighbors. Eventually, though, it took him to competitions, mostly in the Northeast, where he would pit his ribs, chicken, pork, and brisket against friendly rivals from across the country.

“I was just obsessed with all that; I would do all this test cooking and travel around the Northeast competing,” he said, referring to the various competitions sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbecue Society. “They were all-weekend-long things, and they were a party.”

He fared well against those rivals, winning enough prize money — and accolades — to convince him to bid farewell to advertising, sell his share of the company, and use the proceeds to open Fletcher’s Brooklyn BBQ in its namesake borough of New York City.

Skipping ahead a few chapters in this intriguing story — we’ll go back and fill in the gaps later — he has opened Fletcher’s BBQ Shop & Steakhouse at the site of the former Rinaldi’s in Longmeadow. It was an almost-two-year journey from conceptualization of this enterprise to the first day of operation on April 30, and it was a difficult process, he told BusinessWest.

“We were selling out early of a lot of stuff, which is a unique and tricky thing with barbecue, because it takes forever to cook it, so whatever I had is all I had — you can’t make more.”

But just a few weeks in, he’s already seeing the fruits of his considerable labor.

The new restaurant drew large crowds opening weekend, which became a learning experience on many levels when it came to what people liked — and what he needs to cook more of moving forward.

“We’re still learning the cadence — what sells,” he explained. “We were selling out early of a lot of stuff, which is a unique and tricky thing with barbecue, because it takes forever to cook it, so whatever I had is all I had — you can’t make more.”

Bill Fletcher adds some wood

Bill Fletcher adds some wood to one of the barbecue pits at his new restaurant in Longmeadow, one of his many responsibilities as pitmaster.

Overall, Fletcher is off to a solid start, but, limited by staffing issues, as most all restaurants are, he is easing his way into the local restaurant, and not by choice.

Indeed, his original plan was to be open for lunch and dinner seven days a week. For now, it’s just dinner, Thursday through Monday — Mondays, because few of the area’s restaurants are open that day.

“That’s OK … it’s nice to start off slow,” he said. “We can make sure we’re doing everything right.”

For this issue and its annual Restaurant Guide, BusinessWest talked with Fletcher about the road to his new venture on Longmeadow Street and where he believes that road will take him.

 

Taking it Slow

As he talked with BusinessWest about his venture at one of the front tables in the bar area of the restaurant, Fletcher took a quick break to tend to the fires in the two barbecue pits in the kitchen.

As he opened the bottom door to one of them to add more wood (sugar maple and red oak), he said simply, “I’m the pitmaster — this is my job.”

“I realized that I was spending all my time thinking about barbecue and not being a good president and leader of my crew in advertising. So I spoke to my partner and said it was time for me to get out; I decided I wanted to make this my career.”

Actually, it’s just one of many, he said, as he showed off five dozen full racks of ribs that had been slow cooking for several hours and still had a few more to go before they were ready for prime time.

Fletcher said his days at the restaurant start at 5 a.m. and generally run late into the evening. During that time, he and his team are preparing and then cooking meat, getting appetizers and sides ready for the coming night, and, overall, preparing to welcome guests to what it is in many ways something new and different for the region.

This is the life Fletcher has chosen. Actually, as noted earlier, it chose him as his passion for barbecue moved from the backyard to those competitions across the Northeast to the restaurant he opened in Brooklyn.

It was while taking part in those competitions that Fletcher said he learned that barbecue wasn’t just a hobby, and it wasn’t just a business in waiting. It was, and is, as he put it, “community.”

“You go to these different competitions, and you see some new faces, but a lot of old faces,” he explained. “It’s probably anywhere between 30 and 100 teams competing, and you stay up all night. It takes forever to cook barbecue, so everyone is up all night, sleeping in shifts. It was hard work, but we had a lot of fun and collected a lot of memories.”

it took nearly two years of feasibility studies and buildout

Bill Fletcher says it took nearly two years of feasibility studies and buildout, but his new restaurant is now a reality.
Staff Photo

Making a long story somewhat shorter, Fletcher said he started spending more and more of his time at these competitions, to the detriment of his ad agency.

“I realized that I was spending all my time thinking about barbecue and not being a good president and leader of my crew in advertising,” he explained. “So I spoke to my partner and said it was time for me to get out; I decided I wanted to make this my career.”

He took the proceeds of his buyout and opened Fletcher’s Brooklyn BBQ in the Gowanus neighborhood of the borough in 2012.

Actually, he was part of a wave of barbecue to hit Brooklyn — three new restaurants opening at roughly the same time — a movement that put his restaurant in the food section of the New York Times within weeks of opening.

“We all opened up within a month of each other,” he recalled. “Pete Wells, the New York Times restaurant critic, wrote a piece about us, saying ‘big league barbecue hits New York City,’ and reviewed us all. That was exciting, to be in the New York Times restaurant review in your first month of being open. That was unexpected, and he had some kind things to say about us; that was fun.

“And we won all kinds of awards there — it was a really great run. I was there for a decade … so many great people and great food,” he went on, adding that one key to the restaurant’s success was its operating model, whereby it served as a hub (he called it the ‘hive’), supplying barbecue to other pop-up or market locations.

“We would cook everything in one central location and then send it out to a number of satellites,” he explained, adding that the model worked well, especially in that metropolitan area. “You’re not building five restaurants; you essentially have a commissary, and you’re just sending food out. It was a great model for us.”

 

Meaty Issues

Eventually, though, Fletcher closed the location. First, he decided he had enough of Gotham and moved upstate. He kept the restaurant going, managing from afar. He then “started dating,” as he put it, and upon “not finding anyone in Upstate New York to my liking,” expanded the search to 100 miles (far for a dating app), which included Longmeadow, where he found what — and who — he was looking for.

“I met my future wife through Tinder,” he explained, gesturing with his hand to indicate that she lived just a few minutes from where he was sitting. When the relationship reached a degree of seriousness, he started looking at where he could open a restaurant in the area.

And after some hard searching and then some “feasibility studies,” as he called them, he eventually settled on the location of the old Rinaldi’s.

“When I walked in here, this place was completely gutted,” he said, adding that a restaurant was planning to move into the site, but those aspirations were derailed by COVID. “I’m completely independent — I don’t have any backing, so I was really concerned about the dollars going into it and whether I could actually pull it off.”

Eventually, the numbers worked, even if the project went 25% over budget, by his estimate, and the restaurant opened more than two years after the first negotiations on a lease began.

Before the opening, Fletcher handled a few pop-up events, including the town’s annual Fall Festival, that provided a taste of what he was getting into — literally and figuratively — as well as some encouraging signs.

“The community was so supportive,” he recalled. “I was selling out in two hours, when it’s supposed to last six. Those events were really encouraging, and I was super excited to be part of all that.”

As noted earlier, Fletcher said he’s still learning what people like most — the ‘cadence,’ as he called it. There’s a note on the restaurant’s website that states hours and then a notation: “please come early, we sell out daily.”

“Trying to figure out what the demand is going to be is part of the trick,” he explained. “And that will take us a little bit of time to figure it all out.”

The menu includes the staples of barbecue — beef brisket, pork (pulled pork and hot links), spare ribs, and chicken, as well as platters with two or three different meats — but also steaks (New York strip, ribeye, and filet mignon) and other choices such as catfish and grits, barbecue ramen, Cajun pasta, pulled pork sandwich, and brisket cheesesteak. Bar snacks and starters include barbecue wings, barbecue nachos, barbecue fries (the menu describes them as a “cult favorite”), hot links with pimento cheese, and spicy shrimp hush puppies.

As for those steaks, Fletcher says they’re unlike anything he believes is offered in the region.

“We’re cold-smoking them 10 to 15 minutes,” he explained. “So they come out raw — they’re just taking in some of our smoke flavor. And then, we’re searing them to order. It is a really complex flavor; it’s really unique. It might not be everyone’s liking, it’s a little smoky, but I think it’s outstanding.

“We’re a little weird,” he went on. “It’s kind of a fancy place — marble tabletops and brass everything — but you can get some sticky ribs and nachos next to a filet mignon and a glass of champagne.”

Looking ahead, Fletcher said he will continue the process of easing his way toward that schedule he originally put on the drawing board.

That means eventually adding lunch, maybe another night or two of dinner, takeout, and catering. He said he will not take the Fletcher’s act to the Big E this year, but will explore making that part of the equation moving forward.

For now, he’s settling in while also keeping the fires stoked — he’s going through two cords of wood a month.

As he noted, barbecue isn’t just food, it’s community, and that’s what he’s bringing to Longmeadow — and the region.

Sawmill River Arts Gallery Crafts an Effective Business Framework

By Contributor
Hannah Staiger
Creative Economy

Collective Soul

By Mark Morris

Hannah Staiger

Hannah Staiger displays her jewelry at the Sawmill River Arts Gallery.

The artists at Sawmill River Arts Gallery in Montague have taken a creative approach — not just to their art, but to how they run their business.

Organized as an artist collective 12 years ago, Sawmill River Arts consists of 15 member artists who run the business and 22 guest artists who display their work on consignment. The distinction between the two is significant. While guest artists share 40% to 50% of their sales with the gallery, member artists make a deeper commitment and receive a larger return.

Each member artist contributes to the rent and agrees to staff the gallery at least three times a month. Members also agree to serve on committees such as finance, marketing, and others that contribute to running the business. In return for their investment in time and expertise, each member artist enjoys a permanent space in the gallery and receives 100% of the sales when someone buys their work.

“All the tasks that one business owner might do, we have 15 people able to do these things,” said Hannah Staiger, a member artist and owner of La Boa Brava jewelry studio. “The gallery is our space that we own and operate together. We all have keys to the front door.”

“We’ve been here for 12 years, and we’ve been successful and growing. Now we’re in a position where we are a full-fledged business, and we have to treat it as such.”

As part of the creative process, artists tend to work alone for long periods of time. Staiger said being a member artist is a welcome opportunity to occasionally get out of her home basement studio and experience life not covered in dust and dirt from making jewelry.

“I get to put on nice clothes and come here to talk with customers and my co-workers,” she said, adding that having member artists also serve as the staff gives the gallery a unique positioning. “When you walk through our door, you interact with the artists who made the work that’s in the gallery. Staffing this way allows us to collectively maintain the store and provide a vital resource for all the members, as well as the 22 other local artists who sell their work here.”

To keep things running, the cooperative holds monthly meetings, but for the daily concerns that come up, email is the main communication tool.

Lori Lynn Hoffer

Lori Lynn Hoffer specializes in oil paintings of landscapes and botanical scenes.

“It can be a challenge to get consensus from 15 people via email to make a change to the gallery or vote a new member into the group,” said Lori Lynn Hoffer, member artist and owner of Waterlily Design, specializing in oil paintings of landscapes and botanical scenes. “While email is time-consuming, we do it to make sure all 15 of us are on the same page.”

As a customer of Sawmill River Arts for many years, Hoffer applied for membership in the collective last year after seeing it go through a positive transformation and deciding that she wanted to be part of that effort.

“I was willing to do the work of staffing the gallery and taking part on the committees because it’s so worth it,” she said. “It’s extremely unusual to be able to get 100% of the selling price for your artwork. When you exhibit at a commercial gallery, they take half of your sales.”

On the day BusinessWest visited Sawmill River Arts, it was Roy Mansur’s day to staff the store. In between helping customers, he was removing storm windows to prepare the gallery for spring and summer traffic.

A nature photographer for three decades, Mansur — a member artist at Sawmill River Arts for the past 10 years — explained why he joined the collective after years of displaying his work in different galleries, stores, and fairs. “The chance to have a wall of my own where I can choose what I want to exhibit was the first big pull to joining the gallery for me.”

 

Focus on Growth

In early 2020, Staiger applied to become a member artist just before the pandemic lockdown closed thousands of businesses, including the gallery. She wanted to become active with a local gallery when it became apparent that the types of fairs and markets where she usually sold her jewelry weren’t going to open for quite a while.

“I contacted the collective and suggested they reach out to the public during the lockdown,” she said. “I offered to help with online and social-media outreach, which was something they needed.”

Roy Mansur

Roy Mansur was drawn to the collective by the opportunity to display his photographic works in whatever way he chooses.

According to Hoffer, having 15 member artists seems to be the right number to keep the gallery growing. Two new members were recently added after one passed away and another retired. A new-member search committee takes on the job of finding people to apply to be part of the group.

“There’s a whole process involving interviews, deciding who is a good fit based on their art, and what strengths they bring to operating the gallery,” Hoffer said, noting the online experience Staiger brought to the group when she joined. “Hannah is far savvier about social media and online marketing than most of us in the group. That’s one of the reasons we’ve been looking to bring in younger members.”

As an example of new types of art featured at the gallery, Staiger called attention to a rack of printed T-shirts.

“The patterns are from hand-carved wooden blocks that are printed on to the T-shirts,” she explained. “We haven’t had something like this before. This type of art speaks to a younger crowd, and we’re excited to have this artist join us.”

Thanks to a grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, the gallery will look to upgrade its logo and branding. Staiger described it as a bit of a facelift to reintroduce the gallery to the community.

“We’ve been here for 12 years, and we’ve been successful and growing,” she said. “Now we’re in a position where we are a full-fledged business, and we have to treat it as such.”

The group is working with the Homegrown Studio, a local marketing agency known for its work with local farms and small businesses. Homegrown will create a new logo and a new look for the gallery. “Our vision is to create a modern local art gallery,” Staiger said.

Hoffer added that part of the branding effort will involve reaching out to locals as well as out-of-towners to make it easier to find Sawmill River Arts.

“From the universities to the prep schools, it’s not unusual to see students and parents who are not from the area,” she said. “We have an extraordinary destination, and we love it when they visit.”

The art gallery is one of several businesses located in the Montague Bookmill complex. In addition to the art gallery and the bookstore, there are two restaurants — the Watershed (sit-down dining) and the Lady Killigrew Café (pub atmosphere) — as well as a music shop, Turn it Up! The entire complex faces the Sawmill River, which can be heard rushing by in the background.

“We have art, music, books, and the river,” Hoffer said. “With lots of outdoor seating, it’s a real draw for people who want to get out of the house and see other people who also care about all these things.”

 

Picture This

Staiger said the mill complex is an iconic New England location makes people feel like they’ve stumbled upon it.

“Many people who come here for the first time feel like they’ve discovered this oasis in the middle of Western Mass.,” she said.

If all goes to plan, many more people will be discovering Sawmill River Arts, and the entire mill complex, for themselves … and maybe bringing home a unique piece of local art, too.

JA Commences Work on Career, Leadership & Innovation Center

By
Nonprofit Management

Things Are CLICing

 

Jennifer Connelly shows off the wall

Jennifer Connelly shows off the wall in the wall that is the symbolic start of work to create JA’s new Career, Leadership & Innovation Center.

It was officially called a groundbreaking, but Jennifer Connelly says it was more of a “wallbreaking.”

Indeed, Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, representatives of the many sponsors involved with the project, and other VIPs took turns swinging a large sledgehammer at a wall just off the entrance to the Tower Square offices of Junior Achievement (JA) of Western Massachusetts.

The hole they left behind is still there more than a month later, a poignant symbol of the work — at least the physical construction work — soon to commence on what is being called the Career, Leadership & Innovation Center, or CLIC, a facility that will focus on those first three words with a number of intriguing programs.

Indeed, the center will help students identify career options and make smart decisions regarding post-secondary education; expand their thinking and skill development, thus better preparing them to be future leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators; and provide them with the skills and knowledge that will allow them to make informed and effective decisions with their financial resources.

“For the past 10 to 15 years, the board has talked about having a center where people could come and learn about careers.”

JA is creating the center in collaboration with MassHire Hampden County, the Western Massachusetts Economic Development Council, other agencies, and several area employers, said Connelly, and is designed to address a gap when it comes to educating young people about careers and the paths to them.

“We found that there’s a piece missing in the pipeline when it comes to inspiring young people to have careers here in the region,” said Connelly, adding that the center will enable students to learn about and then explore options in fields they may not have been thinking about. In that respect, it will help open doors for young people while also helping to put workers in the pipeline for businesses across every sector of the economy, from healthcare to manufacturing.

In a way, this is a groundbreaking (there’s that word again) new initiative for JA of Western Massachusetts, said Connelly, and in another way … it isn’t. Indeed, while the CLIC is new, it’s also a throwback of sorts to what JA was decades ago — a place where young people could come to learn about business, actually make and then sell products, and gain financial literacy.

An architect’s rendering of the new Career, Leadership & Innovation Center.

“This is what JA used to be — and that’s what I like best about the center; this will be a place that students can come to,” she said, adding that, while JA of Western Massachusetts has been going into area schools for decades now, it hasn’t had a site that young people can come to since the ’80s.

Work on the CLIC is set to commence in the coming weeks, and the facility is scheduled to open in mid-September. Over the first nine months or so of operations, more than 750 junior-high and high-school students (up to 25 at a time) are expected to visit the center, spend the better part of a day there, and gain new insight into careers, how to attain them, and much more.

The project has drawn a number of supporters, including the city of Springfield, Beveridge Family Foundation, Balise Auto Group, M&T Bank, Country Bank, PeoplesBank, TD Bank, and Savage Arms, who have helped meet the $400,000 cost of the project.

A capital campaign will be staged over the next several months to raise the balance of what’s needed for the initiative, Connelly said, adding that the agency is hoping to gain the support of more area businesses, and is scheduling site visits for those interested in learning more about its mission and how it will be carried out.

 

Learning While Doing

Connelly told BusinessWest that the CLIC was conceptualized in the fall of 2021 amid what she considered an obvious need for a facility that would not merely take JA back to its roots in many respects, but also help to better prepare young people for life, careers, and the many challenges involving both.

And the need has been there for some time, she went on.

“For the past 10 to 15 years, the board has talked about having a center where people could come and learn about careers,” she said, adding that the idea came off the drawing board and into reality with the help of those aforementioned sponsors and a desire for JA to play a pivotal role in helping to solve the workforce needs of employers while also putting young people on a path to not just jobs, but careers.

Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno

Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno takes a swing at the wall that will be coming down to make way for the new center.

As plans for the CLIC began to materialize, she said, a search commenced for a space. Many options were considered, but eventually those at JA concluded they had everything they needed — space-wise, at least — in its suite of offices on the mezzanine level at Tower Square.

The 3,045-square-foot facility will be reconfigured and furnished for the new center, she noted, adding that the CLIC will include a number of components, including:

• A learning lab that will provide student groups with what Connelly called a “starting point for their career exploration journey.” It will also be a space to promote JA’s financial-literacy curriculum;

• A collaboration hub, which will provide groups with a space for interactive work, problem solving, and critical and creative thinking. The space will include modular seating, whiteboards, breakout laptops and tablets, and a leadership library; and

• A manufacturing lab, a makerspace that will provide young adults with the tools and programs to explore and accelerate a career in the manufacturing industry. The CLIC steering committee is currently working with local manufacturers to determine the best resources for the space, Connelly said, adding that equipment may eventually include 3D printers, a flow forge, a Cricut suite, hand tools, soldering kits, and STEM kits.

Overall, the CLIC will provide experiential learning opportunities for middle- and high-school students, said Connelly, adding that, by engaging students in hands-on experiences and reflection, “they are better able to connect theories and knowledge learned in the classroom to real work situations.”

And such connections are needed at a time when many young people need exposure to careers and the paths to them, she noted, adding that, for middle-school students, visits to the CLIC may help them with the all-important decision of deciding which high school to attend.

As she talked about a visit to the CLIC, Connelly said it will be preceded by completion of JA Inspire Virtual, a career-exploration program designed to highlight careers and educational opportunities in the region. At the center, students will participate in a seminar led by guest speakers from local businesses, and then rotate through the modular-based learning experiences at the learning lab, collaboration zone, and manufacturing space — followed by a working lunch with financial-literacy activities.

The center will also be open after school for students interested in pursuing entrepreneurial interests by operating their own student company. And in the evening, the center will be available to community organizations and local employers as a hub for learning and collaboration.

 

Bottom Line

Turning back the clock maybe 50 years or so, Connelly noted that what is now JA of Western Massachusetts was an agency, but also a place where young people from schools across the area could come and, through its ‘company’ program, form a business, make a product, and sell it.

Through the CLIC, JA will be able to provide that kind of experience again, she said, adding that, while the center is a blast from the past in some respects, it is really all about the future — as in the future of thousands of area young people and the area businesses that will, hopefully, employ them.

 

— George O’Brien

Greenfield Business Assoc. Hires Hannah Rechtschaffen as Association Coordinator

By
Daily News

GREENFIELD — The Greenfield Business Assoc. (GBA) has hired Hannah Rechtschaffen as its newest association coordinator. With an extensive background in business development and creative placemaking, Rechtschaffen brings fresh energy to this crucial role in Greenfield’s business community.

Rechtschaffen will focus her efforts on growing membership for the GBA — partnering with the city of Greenfield, the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce, and others — to further define the role and value of the association in the greater ecosystem. As the county seat, the health of Greenfield’s business sector is a vital beacon for how the county as a whole continues to keep and attract residents, tourists, and business owners alike.

Growing up in Northampton, Rechtschaffen left in 2002 to attend college in Ohio and was away for almost 17 years. “When I returned to the Valley in 2018, I fell in love with a house in Greenfield, and I have never regretted locating here,” she said. “I have been waiting for the right time to make a professional move to this community, and I am thrilled to now be with the Greenfield Business Association, working directly for the growth and vitality of my city.”

Rechtschaffen did not wait for this position to open up to get involved in her community. She currently chairs the Sustainable Greenfield Implementation Committee, which supports the use and implementation of the city’s master plan. She is also a member of the Downtown Greenfield Alliance and the Local Cultural Council.

For the last four years, Rechtschaffen worked as director of Placemaking for W.D. Cowls, growing the Mill District project in North Amherst through events, social-media marketing, commercial tenant engagment, community development, and the opening of a local artist gallery. As a Greenfield resident, she is thrilled to bring her skills home to her city, getting to know the business owners and organizations more extensively and working for the sustainable advancement of the local economy.

“Big things are happening in Greenfield, and I am honored to be part of the momentum,” she said. “Keep an eye on us up here.”

Rechtschaffen is a former member of the Amherst Chamber Board, a member of the BusinessWest 40 Under Forty class of 2022, and a graduate of the Leadership Pioneer Valley class of 2021.

HCC Foundation One-day Giving Campaign Shatters Record, Raises $251,859

By
Daily News

HOLYOKE — The Holyoke Community College (HCC) Foundation shattered its annual Together HCC one-day giving campaign record in 2023, raising $251,859 in 24 hours for HCC scholarships and student-support programs.

Alumni, faculty, staff, and friends of the college led a historic day of giving on April 25 during the third annual campaign.

Organizers had set a goal of 400 donors for the one-day fund drive. The final tally was 506. Last year, the Together HCC campaign raised $192,000 from 418 donors, itself a record.

“For the third straight year, the Together HCC campaign has exceeded expectations as our network of alumni, faculty, staff, and friends continue to show how much they care about HCC students,” said Julie Phillips, HCC’s interim director of Development. “With so many people giving what they can, it shows our students that we are invested in their success.”

HCC alumni made up the majority of donors at 43%, followed by HCC faculty and staff at 27%, with 18% from friends of the college, 5% from parents, and 4% from students. Donors gave from as far away as California and Hawaii. Together, they unlocked more than $140,000 in challenge pledges.

One of those came from campaign partner Gary Rome, owner of Gary Rome Hyundai in Holyoke and Gary Rome Kia in Enfield, Conn., who donated $5,000.

“I am thrilled to celebrate yet another successful year of partnering with HCC for its Together HCC: Drive to Change Lives campaign,” Rome said. “It is truly remarkable to witness the generosity of our community as we come together to ensure that a college education remains accessible to all. I hope my example encourages others to help build a stronger community.”

HCC alum Arien Monti, who graduated in 2022 with her associate degree in marketing and business administration, said a scholarship from the HCC Foundation and a stipend from the President’s Student Emergency Fund were critical to her success at HCC.

“The student emergency fund helped with one month’s rent after my son and I had been homeless when I was a new student and rebuilding my life,” Monti said. “I am graduating this fall with my bachelor’s degree and am building my career in marketing and real estate thanks to HCC and the many alumni and friends who support students like me.”

Anyone who missed this year’s day of giving and still wants to contribute can do so at hcc.edu/drive.

Bulkley Richardson Welcomes Three Summer Associates

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Bulkley Richardson welcomed three law students to its 2023 Summer Associate Program. The robust program will introduce law students to the inner workings of a law firm, where they will receive mentorship from lawyers ranging from firm leaders and retired judges all the way through the ranks to junior associates, and gain exposure to real-life legal matters.

This year’s summer associates are:

• Alexandria Abacherli, who is currently attending the University of Connecticut School of Law. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Lafayette College, where she double majored in government & law and international affairs;

• Andrew Loin, who is currently attending Western New England University School of Law, where he is on the WNE Law Review. She earned bachelor’s degrees in political science and business: entrepreneurship from the University of Rochester; and

• Nicole Palmieri, who is currently attending the University of Connecticut School of Law, where she is on the Connecticut Law Review and is a University of Connecticut Scholar. She received a bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, in American studies from Christopher Newport University.

Each summer associate anticipates a spring 2024 law-school graduation.

“We are honored to have another group of talented law students who have chosen to spend the next few months with us,” said Mike Roundy, who oversees Bulkley Richardson’s Summer Associate Program. “We continue to expand and adapt our program to provide in-depth legal training and exposure to a wide range of legal matters.”

Bulkley Richardson continues to accept résumés for its 2024 Summer Associate Program, as well as recent law-school graduates and attorneys considering a lateral move. Visit bulkley.com/current-openings for more information.

Max Tavern to Host Third Max on Monday Networking Event

By
Daily News

SPRINGFIELD — Max Tavern at the Basketball Hall of Fame is excited to announce the continued success of its networking event, Max on Monday. The next event will take place on Monday, June 5 from 4 to 6 p.m. and will offer attendees the opportunity to connect with other professionals while enjoying complimentary hors d’oeuvres. A cash bar will be available for beverages.

Max on Monday is an ideal opportunity for those who have been working remotely to reconnect with their colleagues and find inspiration in the company of others. Each event features a selection of local businesses. This month’s featured businesses will include Liberty Bank; Burgess, Robb & Grassetti; Dowd Insurance Agencies; and Bacon Wilson, P.C. Representatives from these businesses will be able to network with one another and share information about their organizations.

In addition, the monthly event features a local charity. The featured charity for June 5 will be Ronald McDonald House. Max on Monday also showcases a local artist, calling that portion of the event “Discover an Artist.” Attendees can enjoy watching an expert in motion.

For more information about Max on Monday or to register to attend, RSVP to AnnMarie Harding (413) 244-4055 or [email protected].